Best Math Podcasts (2025)

1
Helping Teachers Move Beyond the Algorithm in Math Instruction: Resistance to Teaching Multiple Strategies in Math 20:01

2h ago20:01

20:01

Are your teachers reluctant to move beyond the standard algorithm—even when it clearly isn’t working for their students? In this episode, we explore a real-world example of a school trying to shift toward computational fluency—but getting stuck. The teachers agree that students need more accurate and efficient methods, but many still believe offeri…

1
S7E11 Should Essays be Used in College Admissions? Maybe... 44:27

31m ago44:27

44:27

In this In The Wild episode, Patrick and Greg turn their Quantitude loose on college admission essays, in particular whether or not they should be used to make such high-stakes decisions, and they discuss what issues would need to be addressed in order to answer that question. Stay in contact with Quantitude! Web page: quantitudepod.org TwitterX: @…

1
How Do We Help Our Multi-Language Learners Thrive in Math 21:49

1h ago21:49

21:49

Are your multi-language learners struggling to engage in math class? You’re not alone. Many teachers recognize the issue but feel unsure how to help—especially when language becomes a barrier to grade-level math content. In this team episode, Yvette, Jon, and Kyle unpack a real conversation with a school team working to increase math achievement fo…

1
Essential Math Coaching: The Highest Leveraged Move You Can Make For Math Improvement 12:42

6d ago12:42

12:42

Why are so many districts pouring resources into math PD but seeing so little classroom change? It’s not because teachers aren’t trying. It’s not about motivation or willingness. The real reason is this: most systems aren’t built to support true instructional transformation. In this episode, we unpack the disconnect between a district’s vision for …

1
S7E10 A Report Card on GPAs 43:37

7d ago43:37

43:37

In this week's episode Patrick and Greg have fun exploring the questionably valid but always high stakes role of the grade point average, of GPA. They consider the different ways in which grades can be assigned, what they may or may not actually represent, and how they have become increasingly inflated over time. Along the way, they also discuss no…

1
Why “Fidelity” Might Be Hurting Your Momentum In Math Improvement 23:26

5d ago23:26

23:26

You're rolling out a math resource across your district—but you’re noticing that some classrooms feel scripted and disconnected from student thinking. What’s going wrong? In this episode, we reflect on a powerful insight from Dr. Crystal Watson’s summit presentation—one that’s still resonating with us weeks later. We dig into the difference between…

1
From AI to Joyful Math Teaching: Ideas You Can Use Tomorrow 22:27

8d ago22:27

22:27

In this episode, we share our biggest insights from the 7th annual Make Math Moments Virtual Summit. We highlight powerful sessions that explored ethical AI use, responsive planning, student motivation, and math teacher well-being. Yvette reflects on Dr. Nicky Newton’s approach to creating AI prompts packed with best practices, while also grappling…

1
Andrew H. Jaffe, "The Random Universe: How Models and Probability Help Us Make Sense of the Cosmos" (Yale UP, 2025) 1:29:21

16d ago1:29:21

1:29:21

An award-winning astrophysicist looks at how the understanding of uncertainty and randomness has led to breakthroughs in our knowledge of the cosmos All of us understand the world around us by constructing models, comparing them to observations, and drawing conclusions. Scientists create, test, and replace these models by applying the twinned conce…

1
From Math Overload to Alignment: A Mentoring Moment for Leaders 26:30

11d ago26:30

26:30

Leading math professional learning in a large system is never simple — especially when every school wants something different. How do you support meaningful math growth without burning out or losing focus? In this Mentoring Moment episode, you’ll hear a real coaching conversation with a math learning coordinator who’s navigating a new team, an ambi…

1
Thomas Morel, "Underground Mathematics: Craft Culture and Knowledge Production in Early Modern Europe" (Cambridge UP, 2022) 46:15

18d ago46:15

46:15

Thomas Morel joins Jana Byars to tell the story of subterranean geometry, a forgotten discipline that developed in the silver mines of early modern Europe, talking about his book Underground Mathematics: Craft Culture and Knowledge Production in Early Modern Europe (Cambridge UP, 2022). Mining and metallurgy were of great significance to the rulers…

1
Inside One District’s Journey to Define Math Critical Thinking 18:45

15d ago18:45

18:45

Your math vision prioritizes critical thinking, but can everyone on your team describe what that actually looks like in classrooms? In this episode, you’ll sit in on a real conversation between our team as we unpack a problem of practice. Yvette shares her experience coaching a large district where critical thinking appears in their math vision but…

1
S7E09 Modeling Categorical Change with Latent Transition Analysis 40:39

17d ago40:39

40:39

In this week's episode Patrick and Greg talk about latent transition analysis, which embeds latent class analysis within a longitudinal context, allowing us to explore, as well as to formally test, patterns of individual change in latent class membership over time. Along the way they also mention: identity crises, the crossword puzzler, the nihilis…

1
Is Critical Thinking Just a Buzzword in Your Math Action Plans? 25:05

18d ago25:05

25:05

Do you say your math program prioritizes critical thinking, but struggle to see it in action across classrooms? Many districts include critical thinking as part of their math vision. It is a powerful goal and one that prepares students to engage with complex ideas and make thoughtful decisions. However, teams often lack a shared and practical defin…

1
Episode 2510: Drew Nucci - artificial intelligence and math education 35:38

21d ago35:38

35:38

Drew Nucci ([email protected]) from WestEd discusses his team's ongoing work related to generative AI in schools and survey results about math and science teachers' perspectives on GenAI. WestEd's website Report on National Survey Results: https://www.amplifylearn.ai/reports/ Colleague.AI: https://www.colleague.ai/ List of episodes…

1
Why Your Math Goals Might Not Be Working — and What One Team Changed 18:36

26d ago18:36

18:36

Is your school or district chasing improvement—but feeling like nothing sticks? You're not alone. Fragmentation and unclear goals might be the reason you're not seeing real change. In this episode, we go beyond theory and dive into a real-world case study of a school leadership team that thought they were aligned—until a simple conversation around …

1
#208 Atomisation in Action – episode 4 (with Kris Boulton and Duncan Grantham) 1:28:42

28d ago1:28:42

1:28:42

Kris Boulton and maths teacher Duncan Grantham join me to discuss creating maths resources using AI. You can access the shownotes here: mrbartonmaths.com/blog/atomisation-in-action-4

1
S7E08 Bootstrapping 44:45

28d ago44:45

44:45

In this week's episode Greg and Patrick discuss the amazing world of the empirical bootstrap. They start with inferential testing using business as usual, describe where that quickly runs into problems, and explore where bootstrapping does and, importantly, does not help move us forward. Along the way they also discuss midnight in Bangkok, the awe …

1
Does Everyone Know What Fluency in Math Means? Understanding The Math Coherence Gap 25:25

29d ago25:25

25:25

Have you ever left a team meeting feeling confident everyone was working toward the same math goal, only to realize later that each person defined success in a different way? This episode explores how that kind of disconnect can quietly stall school improvement in mathematics. A school team set out to strengthen math fluency with clear objectives a…

1
Making Math Videos in Ukraine - with Sashko Olenchenko 50:49

1M ago50:49

50:49

Sashko Olenchenko is doing a masters in mathematical physics with a sideline making videos on YouTube - occasionally interrupted by drone attacks from Russia. Here is his YouTube channel - https://www.youtube.com/@aremathukr And you can support his work on Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/Aremath The YouTube version of this podcast has captions av…

1
Making Math Videos in Ukraine - with Sashko Olenchenko 50:49

1M ago50:49

50:49

Sashko Olenchenko is doing a masters in mathematical physics with a sideline making videos on YouTube - occasionally interrupted by drone attacks from Russia. Here is his YouTube channel - https://www.youtube.com/@aremathukr And you can support his work on Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/Aremath The YouTube version of this podcast has captions av…

1
Making Math Videos in Ukraine - with Sashko Olenchenko 50:49

30d ago50:49

50:49

Sashko Olenchenko is doing a masters in mathematical physics with a sideline making videos on YouTube - occasionally interrupted by drone attacks from Russia. Here is his YouTube channel - https://www.youtube.com/@aremathukr And you can support his work on Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/Aremath The YouTube version of this podcast has captions av…

1
Al Posamentier, "Math Makers: The Lives and Works of 50 Famous Mathematicians" (Prometheus, 2020) 56:37

30d ago56:37

56:37

Today I talked to Alfred S. Posamentier, a co-author (with Christian Spreitzer) of Math Makers: The Lives and Works of 50 Famous Mathematicians (Prometheus, 2020). This charming book is more than just mathematics, because mathematicians are not just makers of mathematics. They are human beings whose life stories are often not just entertaining, but…

1
How One School Used the Stages of Implementation to Drive Real Change 20:15

1M ago20:15

20:15

You’ve got a strong teacher, strong strategies—and still, the innovation stalls. What gives? In this episode, we tackle what’s really behind resistance in math PD and why most implementation efforts collapse long before proficiency is even possible. Building on our last episode, we unpack how a school we support used the five implementation stages—…

1
S7E07 Is the SAT Biased and Should be Banned? Maybe... 39:45

1M ago39:45

39:45

In this In The Wild episode, Greg and Patrick turn their Quantitude loose on the ever-present SAT, in particular the premise that it is biased and should be banned. They also talk about what issues would need to be addressed in order to evaluate whether or not that's a reasonable claim. Stay in contact with Quantitude! Web page: quantitudepod.org T…

1
Five Phases of Implementation Every Math Leader Needs To Know To Overcome Resistance 29:19

1M ago29:19

29:19

Still stuck “talking” about change, but not seeing it in action? The real roadblock to change in math may not be teacher resistance—it might be your system. Based on Jim Knight’s powerful article in Educational Leadership, “Moving from Talk to Action in Professional Learning,” this episode reframes what looks like math pd resistance in schools. We …

1
How to Build a Math Plan That Survives Leadership Changes 20:23

1M ago20:23

20:23

What happens to your math improvement efforts when you leave the role? Many school and district leaders assume that lack of time or teacher buy-in is the biggest barrier to sustainable change. But the real threat? Fragility—the risk that everything falls apart when key people leave or switch roles. In this episode, we unpack the often-overlooked is…

1
The Biggest Threat To Sustainable Math Improvement - Your Guess Will Be Wrong! 8:39

1M ago8:39

8:39

Why does your math plan feel like it resets every time someone new steps in? You’ve seen it happen: a coordinator retires, a coach changes roles, or a principal moves on—and suddenly all the momentum in your math plan disappears. Teachers feel like they’re starting over (again), and it’s back to square one. It’s not a motivation issue. It’s not eve…

1
Math Fluency in Action: Observing What Proficient Students Actually Do 52:59

2M ago52:59

52:59

What does it really mean to be fluent in math—and are we measuring the right things in our classrooms? Math fluency is often reduced to speed drills and memorization—but true fluency goes much deeper. In this episode, we unpack the key differences between fact fluency, computational fluency, and procedural fluency—and why it matters for both teachi…

1
S7E06 Non-Academic Jobs: A Conversation with Jeremy Miles 46:44

2M ago46:44

46:44

In this week's episode, Patrick and Greg have a lovely conversation with Jeremy Miles, a quantitative methodologist who has worked in both academic and industry settings. Jeremy draws on his own extensive experiences to describe what an industry job is like and how one can prepare to move into this type of position. Along the way they also discuss …

1
Why Your Math Coaching Model Isn’t Working — Insights from Jim Strachan 27:21

2M ago27:21

27:21

How do you know if your district’s mentoring and coaching efforts are actually making a difference? Too often, system and instructional leaders focus on program delivery but miss the deeper question: how do we monitor and support the real impact of our math mentorship and coaching practices? In this episode, Jim Strachan returns to explore how lead…

1
David Bressoud, "Calculus Reordered: A History of the Big Ideas" (Princeton UP, 2019) 1:27:28

2M ago1:27:28

1:27:28

Calculus Reordered: A History of the Big Ideas (Princeton UP, 2019) takes readers on a remarkable journey through hundreds of years to tell the story of how calculus evolved into the subject we know today. David Bressoud explains why calculus is credited to seventeenth-century figures Isaac Newton and Gottfried Leibniz, and how its current structur…

1
Making Durable Decisions in Math Leadership | A Sustainable Math Practice Case Study 18:57

2M ago18:57

18:57

Fidelity matters, yet rigidity can stall growth. In this follow-up episode, we revisit the balance between fidelity and flexibility in math improvement and explore how two district partners faced this exact challenge. You will hear how they committed to implementing with fidelity, ensuring consistency, clarity, and shared language, while avoiding t…

1
Episode 2509: Pamela Weber Harris - developing mathematical reasoning 45:58

2M ago45:58

45:58

Pam Harris discusses her new book series Developing Mathematical Understanding (K-12) from Corwin Press and her experiences in professional development with mathematics teachers. Pam's professional website (Math is FigureOutAble) Developing Mathematical Understanding book Developing Mathematical Understanding free workshop List of episodes…

1
S7E05 The Academic Job Talk 38:36

2M ago38:36

38:36

In this week's episode, as we head into the academic job season, Patrick and Greg offer some well-meaning advice about one of the most important aspects of an on-site interview, the academic job talk. Along the way they also mention the changing of the cactus needles, Colon Blow, big pumpkin, cutting out job ads, the job talk bagel bar, waiting for…

1
When Fidelity in Math Improvement Turns Into Rigidity & How To Avoid This Costly Mistake 24:35

2M ago24:35

24:35

Implementing with fidelity matters—whether it’s adopting a new math resource, embedding a routine like number talks, or structuring PLCs. But fidelity is not the same as rigidity. When we cling too tightly to practices, they can outlive their usefulness and prevent innovation. In this episode, we draw from research, including Janice Fraser’s concep…

1
Chris Dalla Riva, "Uncharted Territory: What Numbers Tell Us about the Biggest Hit Songs and Ourselves" (Bloomsbury, 2025) 1:09:42

2M ago1:09:42

1:09:42

Popular music history collides with data analytics, charts, and numbers in this insightful and surprising look at the greatest hits and musicians, fads, forgotten artists, and much more. Data analyst and musician Chris Dalla Riva reframes everything you thought you knew about music. Did you know that hit songs in the late 1950s were regularly about…

1
Allen B. Downey, "Probably Overthinking It: How to Use Data to Answer Questions, Avoid Statistical Traps, and Make Better Decisions" (U Chicago Press, 2023) 1:02:40

2M ago1:02:40

1:02:40

Statistics are everywhere: in news reports, at the doctor's office, and in every sort of forecast, from the stock market to the weather. Blogger, teacher, and computer scientist Allen B. Downey knows well that people have an innate ability both to understand statistics and to be fooled by them. As he makes clear in this accessible introduction to s…

1
How to Sequence Math Tasks: Thin Slicing in Building Thinking Classrooms Explained by Peter Liljedahl and Kyle Webb 35:44

2M ago35:44

35:44

How do you move your students from confusion to confidence—one question at a time when Building Thinking Classrooms? If you've ever found yourself wondering how to keep every student engaged without oversimplifying your math lessons or overwhelming your class with complexity, you're not alone. Many math teachers face the challenge of designing less…

1
S7E04 Does Birth Order Matter? Maybe... 34:20

2M ago34:20

34:20

By Patrick Curran & Greg Hancock

1
When Tools Steal Thinking: Rethinking Technology Use in Math 35:21

2M ago35:21

35:21

In this episode, we dig into the tricky question every math teacher faces: When is a calculator a helpful tool—and when does it actually rob students of valuable mathematical thinking? Yvette shares a personal story about a conversation with her son on whether he should use a calculator for an upcoming test. The discussion quickly expanded: is a lo…

1
Ulrica Wilson 7:43

2M ago7:43

7:43

Learn about the life and work of Ulrica Wilson from a group of campers at the 2025 run of Girls Talk Math at Temple University in Philadelphia.By Girls Talk Math

1
Sijue Wu 10:25

2M ago10:25

10:25

Learn about the life and work of Sijue Wu from a group of campers at the 2025 run of Girls Talk Math at Temple University in Philadelphia.By Girls Talk Math

1
Pamela Harris 16:08

2M ago16:08

16:08

Learn about the life and work of Pamela Harris from a group of campers at the 2025 run of Girls Talk Math at Temple University in Philadelphia.By Girls Talk Math

1
Latanya Sweeney 7:50

2M ago7:50

7:50

Learn about the life and work of Latanya Sweeney from a group of campers at the 2025 run of Girls Talk Math at Temple University in Philadelphia.By Girls Talk Math

1
Going Narrow in Math Improvement: A Practical Playbook from One District 20:33

2M ago20:33

20:33

Math improvement plans don’t gain traction just by naming priorities—they gain traction when districts commit to going narrow. For one small district, that meant resisting the urge to spread resources across every grade and instead doubling down on a focused goal: supporting grades 3–5 teachers with the consistent use of problem strings to strength…

1
Episode 2508: Dan Meyer - career thus far (math ed blogging, Desmos technology, Amplify) 35:16

2M ago35:16

35:16

Dan Meyer from Amplify discusses his career thus far in mathematics education, including his work as a teacher, as a graduate student and blogger at Stanford University, and with Desmos instructional technology. Dan's old dy/dan blog Set of Three-Act Math Tasks "Math class needs a makeover" TED talk List of episodes…

1
Fear, Pressure, and the Struggle to Truly Commit to Math Priorities 22:45

2M ago22:45

22:45

District math improvement plans can’t succeed if we try to do everything at once. For meaningful change to happen, leaders need to go narrow. In this episode, we explore why narrowing focus is so difficult for districts and schools, even when everyone knows it’s the right move. We unpack the fears leaders face—picking the “wrong” focus, pressure fr…

1
Beating Initiative Fatigue: How to Filter Math PD Opportunities without Overwhelm 18:24

2M ago18:24

18:24

Do you ever feel torn between staying laser-focused on your math goals and chasing all the new opportunities that come your way? Whether it’s a conference, a webinar, or a brand-new resource, unexpected opportunities can be energizing—but without a clear filter, they can also overwhelm teachers and derail your district’s math improvement plan. List…

1
S7E03 Nonparametric Procedures 39:26

2M ago39:26

39:26

In this week's episode, Greg and Patrick explore the very cool yet often overlooked suite of non-parametric statistical tests. They talk about their strengths and weaknesses and how these might be profitably used in practice. Along the way they also discuss science fairs, spaghetti bridges, don't take this the wrong way, jazz hamster, the Bernoulli…

1
How AI Can Help Math Teachers Differentiate Instruction for Every Learner 28:59

2M ago28:59

28:59

How can math teachers harness AI to lighten their workload, differentiate with confidence, and boost student thinking—without losing the human touch? The AI wave isn't coming—it's already here. In this energizing episode, Dr. Nicki Newton returns to share how AI is transforming the way elementary math educators plan, differentiate, and reflect. Whe…

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