5 Steps to Creating a Classroom of Problem Solvers
Schoolutions: Curious Educators. Evidence-Based Strategies. Classrooms Where Every Child Thrives.
11/10/25
•45m
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In this S5E11 Schoolutions Teaching Strategies conversation, elementary educator and math coach Mona Iehl shares her transformative 5-step Word Problem Workshop method that's revolutionizing how students engage with mathematics. From "I'm not a math person" to confident problem solver—this conversation will change how you think about teaching math.
🎯 What You'll Learn:
- The 5 steps to creating a classroom of problem solvers (Launch, Grapple, Share, Discuss, Reflect)
- How to plan an entire week of word problems in ONE prep period
- Why student-centered methods foster student engagement and student motivation better than traditional approaches
- The forecasting guide that transforms lesson planning and instructional strategies
- How to choose problems that challenge WITHOUT overwhelming
- Building positive math identities through classroom belonging and student participation
This isn't just about math—it's about effective teaching that builds the whole child through culturally responsive teaching and equity in education.
Resources Mentioned:
📚 Word Problem Workshop by Mona Iehl
📚 Five Practices for Orchestrating Mathematical Discussions by Peg Smith
📚 Adding It Up - Five Strands of Mathematical Proficiency
Chapters:
0:00 Introduction & Preview
2:00 Welcome & Guest Introduction
3:00 Book Reveal: Word Problem Workshop
4:00 Research Foundation: Peg Smith & Five Practices
5:47 Math Identities & Personal Journey
7:00 Project-Based Learning vs. Traditional Math
8:00 Traditional Word Problems vs. Word Problem Workshop
10:00 Student-Centered Learning & Building Confidence
11:00 Five Strands of Mathematical Proficiency
12:00 Conceptual Understanding in Practice
13:00 Strategic Competence & Adaptive Reasoning
15:00 Community-Based Learning Approach
16:00 Step 1: Launch - Packing the Backpack
16:37 Step 2: Grapple - Independent Problem Solving
17:00 The Joy of Figuring It Out
18:00 Step 3: Share - Making Thinking Visible
18:30 Step 4: Discuss - Facilitating Discourse
19:00 Step 5: Reflect - John Dewey's Wisdom
20:00 The Power of Reflection (Nuthall's 20% Research)
21:00 Teacher Roles in Word Problem Workshop
22:00 Getting Curious About Student Thinking
24:00 Teacher as Scribe During Sharing
25:00 Planning Magic: A Week in One Prep
26:00 Choosing Learning Goals & Problems
27:00 The Challenge Problem Philosophy
29:00 The Forecasting Guide Tool
30:00 Planning for All Learners
31:00 Collaborative Planning Time
33:00 Overcoming Fear: First Steps for Teachers
35:00 Administrator Support & Clear Focus
37:00 Supporting Math at Home: Caregiver Tips
38:00 Modeling Mathematical Thinking
39:00 Lightning Round: Math Misconceptions
40:00 Vision for Positive Math Identity Classrooms
42:00 Equitable Access & Confident Communities
43:00 Final Thoughts: Teachers as the Most Important
44:00 Closing & Call to Action
Connect with Mona:
📧 Connect: schoolutionspodcast@gmail.com
🎵 Music: Benjamin Wahl
When coaches, teachers, administrators, and families work hand in hand, it fosters a school atmosphere where everyone is inspired and every student is fully engaged in their learning journey.
Previous Episode
BONUS: Drowning in Standards? How to Cut Back to What Matters MOST
November 7, 2025
•13m
In this S5E10 Schoolutions Teaching Strategies BONUS, I break down the Essential Standards Framework from Larry Ainsworth that completely transformed my teaching—and can transform yours too. Stop drowning in standards and start teaching what actually matters.
🎯 The Game-Changer: Research shows students who master 88% of standards perform BETTER on tests than those who skim through 100%. This episode gives you three actionable insights from my conversation with Larry that you can implement Monday morning.
What You'll Learn:
✅ How the 88% solution frees you from coverage panic and improves student success
✅ A breakthrough approach for special education that maintains rigor while ensuring access (7th-grade thinking with 3rd-grade texts!)
✅ How to transform performance tasks from extra work to THE work
✅ The R-E-A-L criteria framework to identify your own essential standards (even if your district hasn't done this work)
Key Topics Covered:
- Overcoming teacher test anxiety through focused instruction and lesson planning
- Using the R-E-A-L criteria: Readiness, Endurance, Assessment, Leverage
- Maintaining rigor for students with disabilities and multilingual learners through inclusive teaching
- Replacing traditional instruction with authentic performance tasks that drive student engagement and active learning
- Creating clarity for student success and thriving students
This isn't about lowering expectations—it's about raising achievement through innovative teaching and a pro-kid mindset. Stop covering content and start uncovering what your students truly need with these practical teaching tips and instructional coaching insights.
Chapters
0:00 - Introduction: The Essential Standards Framework
1:00 - The 88% Solution: Why Less Coverage = Better Results
3:00 - Teacher Test Anxiety & the R-E-A-L Criteria Framework
5:00 - Monday Move: Identifying Your Essential Standards
6:00 - Game-Changer for Special Education & Multilingual Learners
7:00 - The Formula: Grade-Level Thinking with Accessible Texts
8:00 - Performance Tasks: Replacement Work, Not Extra Work
9:00 - Authentic Learning Examples (Instagram Profiles, Podcasts, Community Gardens)
10:00 - Your Practical Roadmap: Where to Start
12:00 - The Power of Clarity in Teaching
13:00 - Challenge: Use the REAL Criteria This Week
14:00 - Final Invitation & Closing Thoughts
🚀📚 Watch the full S5E10 @schoolutionspodcast interview here.
Join our community of educators committed to cultivating student success, inspired teaching, and creating inclusive classrooms with a pro-kid mindset focused on the whole child. When coaches, teachers, administrators, and families work hand in hand, it fosters a school atmosphere where everyone is inspired and every student is fully engaged in their learning journey.
📧 Connect: schoolutionspodcast@gmail.com
🎵 Music: Benjamin Wahl
#EssentialStandards #TeachingStrategies #EducationPodcast #TeacherLife #InstructionalCoaching #StudentEngagement #ActiveLearning #EffectiveTeaching #LessonPlanning #InnovativeTeaching #InclusiveTeaching #SpecialEducation #TeacherSupport #ProfessionalDevelopment #InstructionalLeadership #StudentSuccess #ThrivingStudents #EmpoweredEducators #EducationTransformation #TeacherImpact #EquityInEducation #InclusiveClassrooms #ProKidMindset #W
When coaches, teachers, administrators, and families work hand in hand, it fosters a school atmosphere where everyone is inspired and every student is fully engaged in their learning journey.
Next Episode
BONUS: Why Every Student IS a Math Person
November 14, 2025
•10m
In this S5E11 Schoolutions Teaching Strategies BONUS, I unpack game-changing insights from math expert Mona Iehl about why student engagement and student motivation actually INCREASE when we give kids harder problems. This counterintuitive approach transforms classroom behavior and builds true classroom belonging through mathematical struggle.
💡 What You'll Discover:
- Why rescuing kids from struggle hurts their mathematical identity
- The 2 magic phrases that revolutionize student participation and attention in class
- How to plan a week of transformative math lessons in ONE prep period
- Why wrong answers are actually windows into understanding
- The simple shift from math as performance to math as conversation
🌟 Key Takeaways:
This episode challenges traditional instructional strategies and offers practical education strategies for creating inclusive classrooms where every child discovers they ARE a math person. Learn how active learning through productive struggle creates thriving students and inspired teaching.
📚 Resources Mentioned:
- Word Problem Workshop by Mona Iehl
📖 CHAPTERS:
0:00 Why We're Hurting Kids By Helping Too Much
1:30 The Math Identity Crisis in Our Classrooms
3:00 Choosing Problems That Challenge Your Top Students
4:00 John Dewey: Learning Through Reflection
4:30 The Forecasting Guide Secret
5:30 Math Narration at Home
6:30 When Kids Rise to Hard Problems
7:00 From Silent Pencils to Mathematical Discourse
8:00 The Two Magic Phrases
9:00 Math as Conversation, Not Performance
10:00 Your Monday Morning Challenge
🚀📚 Watch the full S5E11 interview here (https://youtu.be/HO0l_eyKZPw)
Join our community of educators committed to cultivating student success, inspired teaching, and creating inclusive classrooms with a pro-kid mindset focused on the whole child. When coaches, teachers, administrators, and families work hand in hand, it fosters a school atmosphere where everyone is inspired and every student is fully engaged in their learning journey.
📧 Connect: schoolutionspodcast@gmail.com
🎵 Music: Benjamin Wahl
Don't forget to 🔔SUBSCRIBE for more teaching tips, and
💬SHARE with fellow educators!
#MathWorkshop #ProductiveStruggle #MathIdentity #TeachingStrategies #ElementaryMath #GrowthMindset #MathEducation #ActiveLearning #StudentEngagement #InclusiveTeaching #TeacherTips #InstructionalCoaching #EducationPodcast #MathAnxiety #ProblemSolving #WholeChild #EffectiveTeaching #SchoolImprovement #ParentInvolvement #InspiredTeaching #ThrivingStudents #EducationTransformation #ProKidMindset #TeacherSupport #MathDiscourse
When coaches, teachers, administrators, and families work hand in hand, it fosters a school atmosphere where everyone is inspired and every student is fully engaged in their learning journey.
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