The Educators MathCast

Duolingo is on our turf now, and we've got some thoughts... So this month, we're teaming up with Christina Tondevold from Build Math Minds for a special episode of The Educators MathCast all about Duolingo Math. We talk about what Duolingo Math gets right, what could use some work, and what breaks our hearts. Whether you've spent hours with the app or haven't opened it once, we think you'll enjoy this conversation.

In this episode of Voices from the Field, we’re joined by Timothy Livingston, principal of Reynolds Elementary School in Spring ISD, Texas.
Timothy shares how his experiences as a classroom teacher, math leader, and school administrator have shaped the way he thinks about leadership and learning. We talk about building trust, creating a strong school culture, and supporting teachers in ways that ultimately create better opportunities for students.
It’s a thoughtful conversation about the people side of school leadership and the conditions that help meaningful mathematics learning take root.

It’s officially been one year of The Educators MathCast!
To celebrate, Zak and Mike look back at some of their favorite memories from the first year of the podcast before turning their attention to a new school year.
This time, they’re thinking beyond the first days of school and asking a bigger question: Six weeks from now, what do we want students to believe about mathematics and about themselves as mathematicians? And what can we do right now to help build those beliefs?
Join us as we celebrate one year of the MathCast and think together about the math classrooms we want to create in the year ahead.

In this Voices from the Field episode, Zak sits down with Andrew Gael, a mathematics teacher at the Cooke School and Institute in New York City.
Andrew shares what he has learned from teaching mathematics to students with disabilities and how those experiences have shaped the way he thinks about access, independence, and what it means to do rigorous mathematics.
The conversation explores how we can create math classrooms that honor the different ways students think and learn, without lowering our expectations for what they are capable of.

Join Mike and Zak as they explore what mathematics teaching and learning can (and can't) learn from Duolingo. Together, they unpack the ways the popular language-learning app gets some things right and where it fails. It's a thoughtful conversation about practice, motivation, feedback, and the opportunities and limitations of borrowing ideas from outside mathematics education.

Nolan Fossum joins Zak for a conversation about reimagining what mathematics can be when we center joy, relationships, and student identity. Together, they explore everything from grading and engagement to meaningful change, challenging long-held assumptions while honoring the realities teachers face every day.

In this episode, Mike and Zak share stories from their summer vacations and the mathy things they found. We strongly encourage you to watch the YouTube version to see the images. But, we've also made them available to you here. 

Join Zak as he interviews STEM and AI expert Will Smith. Together they will help us think about how emerging technologies connect to the teaching and learning of mathematics. Together, we’ll explore how innovation and human thinking remain at the center of powerful math experiences for students.

What do we do with students after grades are in? Zak and Mike have some ideas on how to keep students engaged in the final days of the school year.

Jody and Chepina join Zak to talk about how important it is to encourage curiosity in the math classroom.