More Math for More People
CPM Educational Program is a non-profit publisher of math textbooks for grades 6-12. As part of its mission, CPM provides a multitude of professional learning opportunities for math educators. The More Math for More People podcast is part of that outreach and mission. Published biweekly, the hosts, Joel Miller and Misty Nikula, discuss the CPM curriculum, trends in math education and share strategies to shift instructional practices to create a more inclusive and student-centered classroom. They also highlight upcoming CPM professional learning opportunities and have conversations with math educators about how they do what they do. We hope that you find the podcast informative, engaging and fun. Intro music credit: JuliusH from pixabay.com.
More Math for More People
Episode 4.22: It's all about Awkward Moments and I&I!
First, it's Awkward Moments Day! So we have... well... an awkward opening to the podcast by Joel and Misty...
Then!
What happens when students who struggle with math suddenly start asking for MORE math problems? When they eagerly show their work to administrators and connect classroom concepts to real-world situations? This transformation isn't magic—it's the result of the Inspirations and Ideas (I&I) curriculum being implemented by passionate educators like Lisa Milner from Armada School in Michigan.
Lisa shares her journey from skepticism to enthusiasm about CPM's approach, describing how winning the I&I Initiative allowed her to attend comprehensive training at the National Teacher Institute. The impact on her classroom has been nothing short of remarkable. "These kids trust me and their classmates," Lisa explains. "They're not afraid to say 'I don't know' or 'how did you do this?'... they're cheering each other on."
The I&I curriculum creates a safe learning environment where students previously hindered by math anxiety now thrive through collaborative problem-solving, reflective journaling, and engaging launches. Beyond just helping students in the support class, Lisa has observed these same students becoming leaders in their regular math courses—participating more actively, helping peers, and showing improved performance on assessments.
For educators frustrated by traditional intervention approaches that emphasize remediation over engagement, I&I offers a transformative alternative focused on building deep mathematical understanding and student confidence. Applications for the I&I Initiative are due by May 1st, with winners receiving fully-funded travel to the National Teacher Institute from June 23-27 in Salt Lake City. Apply here.
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The More Math for More People Podcast is produced by CPM Educational Program.
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You are listening to the More Math for More People podcast. An outreach of CPM educational program Boom. An outreach of CPM Educational Program.
Speaker 2:Boom, hold on. Here we are. Uh-oh, it's okay, Pause please.
Speaker 1:E-O-E-O.
Speaker 3:E-F-E.
Speaker 1:The 18th, all right Of March.
Speaker 2:Oh, here we are. Itth of March, oh, here we are.
Speaker 1:It is oh, it's the main holiday today. Not even a subset. Okay, I'm ready.
Speaker 2:Oh, you know what that?
Speaker 1:means Excuse me.
Speaker 2:Are you ready now?
Speaker 1:Ready.
Speaker 2:Okay, march 18th was the National Day today.
Speaker 1:Today is Awkward Moments Day.
Speaker 2:Oh, that entire 30 seconds of us getting ready to do this was awkward, wasn't it?
Speaker 1:It was very awkward. I said a full thing. I'm like, oh my gosh, I'm not ready.
Speaker 2:Yeah, no, that was perfect. We're already celebrating. Look at us y'all.
Speaker 1:We are in the midst.
Speaker 2:Oh, Awkward Moments. Day the myths. Oh, awkward moments day. I remember when we were on the podcast, Joel just kept coughing and coughing and. I said keep talking.
Speaker 2:And well, it was good. That's good, thank you. Thank you. I remember when I was younger I don't remember if it was like in some, it was in some magazine that I used to read it was young mist or something like that's probably ym it was and there was a thing where people could write in their little stories, anecdotes and things, and it was called. My face was so red and people would write in these embarrassing moments, right because, their face was red because it was embarrassing, awkward, whatever.
Speaker 2:so all these, all these young ladies would write in things that were embarrassing. I don't remember why. That's just what I think of when I think of awkward moments. I used to love reading those because I was like, wow, there's people doing all these crazy things and being embarrassed.
Speaker 3:Yeah, there's something about Go ahead.
Speaker 1:Well, I was just going to say. One of the things listed about awkward moments and embarrassing is Do you remember when Ashley Simpson was on Saturday Night Live and got caught lip-syncing?
Speaker 2:No.
Speaker 1:Huh.
Speaker 2:I mean that makes sense. Yeah, when Milli Vanilli got caught lip-syncing.
Speaker 1:Oh my gosh, they denied it. Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I think that there's things that I, that we have this kind of I feel like sometimes people have a like a lot of I can't always say this word right Schadenfreude, right Around you know, like other people's mistakes or other people's awkward moments, but I think there's some part of that is because then it makes us feel better, because we're not the only ones making silly things.
Speaker 1:Yep, yeah.
Speaker 4:It's not that. It's not that we don't do those things.
Speaker 1:It's that we're in a club of everybody's.
Speaker 2:Right, oh, I'm not the only one who does really really ridiculous thing. Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 1:Okay, well, how are you going to celebrate?
Speaker 2:We're talking about awkward moments, I mean, I'm sure we've already celebrated.
Speaker 1:Well, this is one way for sure.
Speaker 2:Okay, how are you supposed to celebrate awkward moments today?
Speaker 1:You could boldly share your moments on social media. I'm not on social media, so I'm not going to do that no, I'm not doing either you could get over an awkward moment from your past. If you're holding on to it, don't get some trauma from it. Yeah, you could call a friend or a pal, like how they're just like here.
Speaker 2:I'm just going to get over this today.
Speaker 1:That's right.
Speaker 2:I'm going to schedule it for three o'clock.
Speaker 1:Well, and you could schedule this thing with a pal to remember an awkward moment. Remember when we did a podcast and I couldn't find the page.
Speaker 2:We could reminisce about awkward moments. Oh, that was so funny.
Speaker 1:You can have a laugh.
Speaker 2:I think there's a theme of just taking your awkward moments with a little less seriousness.
Speaker 1:I will say the 17th. There's some things that happen on the 17th, and one of them is it's my half birthday. I like to celebrate my half birthday, and maybe some awkward moments would come from the 17th that I can remember today, on the 18th. We'll find out.
Speaker 2:We'll find out.
Speaker 1:I may not share here.
Speaker 2:We're awkwardly, awkward, awkwardly awkwardly saying something about the future when we're pretending it's now yes oh no people are on to us, we.
Speaker 5:This is pre-recorded darn it.
Speaker 2:People know now what's going on it's like it's like pulling back the curtain yes on the wizard of o, it's just like that. Okay. Well, clearly we're celebrating Awkward Moments Day and we recommend that everyone else does too. Absolutely See, it's just I don't care, we just start whenever we start. That's how it is.
Speaker 2:So all right. So today we're here with Lisa Milner, and she is a teacher at Armada School she just taught me how to pronounce that just a moment ago in Michigan and we're talking about this because she is one of the teachers who won the Inspirations and Ideas Initiative last year, last summer, and attended at the National Teacher Institute to do her onboarding for I&I, and so we're talking about her with her this year because apparently she really likes it and we want to find out about that and then we can hopefully get some more people interested in it. So welcome to the podcast.
Speaker 1:Yeah welcome.
Speaker 5:Thank you so much for having me.
Speaker 2:I'm so excited to be here, absolutely so start off, tell us I'm assuming that maybe you're a middle school teacher, but maybe you're not Tell us what you teach and what you do at Armada schools.
Speaker 5:So this is my 13th year of teaching. I joined Armada in February of 22 and had never heard of CPM prior to working in Armada. I went to the training in June of 22 for Core Connections and I'm an eighth grade math teacher. I was teaching CC3 and CC1. And my principal approached me last year and said hey, we would like to send you to training to teach these new support classes and instead of teaching CC1 or CCA I'm so sorry it's CCA rather than CCA I teach CCA and CC3.
Speaker 2:I'm so sorry it's CCA rather than CCA. That makes more sense. I'm sorry, it's totally fine.
Speaker 5:CCA and CC3. He's like hey, we want to. Instead of you teaching CCA, we want to implement the support class for I&I because it goes more with the eighth grade curriculum. So I was lucky enough, I was really honored that he chose me. I was the only one in our entire district asked to go, so that was quite an honor as well. So I've only been teaching CPM for the past three school years and this is my first year for INP and currently I'm teaching it for seventh graders and eighth graders.
Speaker 2:Okay, okay, that's interesting. All right, so, and then you applied for one of the I&I initiatives, right, so that covered your travel and the other things for your site so that you could get to the National Teacher Institute. I can't say that National Teacher Institute Last year in Salt Lake City. Did you see Joel while we were there?
Speaker 5:I was just telling her.
Speaker 2:No, I did not.
Speaker 5:I was like he said he resided in.
Speaker 3:Salt.
Speaker 5:Lake City and I was like, oh, were you there? And he goes yeah, you didn't see me at lunch.
Speaker 1:She said you didn't make an honorary appearance.
Speaker 2:I was like I was teaching in the other room. Well, okay. Well, this is, you know. A word out for anybody who is at the National Teacher Institute.
Speaker 5:I'll be there.
Speaker 2:You need to connect with Joe he's there, go find him.
Speaker 5:He's somewhere on campus, exactly, exactly.
Speaker 2:So tell us first about thanks for telling us why you got involved with INI. So did you know anything about what INI was, other than it was a support class, before you went to the training in?
Speaker 5:Salt Lake City. I did not have too much prior knowledge. Our district is kind of in the works of seeing if we're going to continue using CPM and the different options that you have, because there's a lot of new options out there. So we have been connecting with other facilitators to talk about the change in the curriculum, the upgrades to the core connections and tell me the other course. Sorry for the inspiring connections, inspiring connections, the two different versions, because we were talking about the non-vertical um the vertical non-terminate surfaces. Cause I totally invert that.
Speaker 4:Yes, it's okay.
Speaker 5:So we have been talking and discussing those ideas. So I was really excited to go to this conference because I did like what I had seen with Inspiring Connections and that I knew it was going to be a little bit more similar for INI.
Speaker 2:Cool. So you went to NTDI and you started your implementation. How have you felt like that's been going? You already were familiar with CPM, ini's a little bit of a different feel but how are you feeling like that's felt to implement that new program?
Speaker 5:Yeah, I love training and at training I feel that because of how well Janie and Lisa and Bridget showed us the course and the flow and because how I actually love CPM, At first I was not on board. What is this? This is weird. This is very different. How does this all fit together? Now, seeing that background and going into this I&I training, it really built and all connected, I'm like, oh, this is amazing because I can see the parallels and how they align with each other and how they all connect. So I was excited. These were great activities.
Speaker 5:I came from teaching alternative ed for nine and a half years so I dealt with kids that had very low confidence in math, didn't like math, didn't think math was fun, cried. I've seen all the emotions for math. So, seeing this course, knowing that I can bridge that gap, fix the mindset at such a young age, I'm really setting up the foundation for the rest of their high school career, which I love. That's really why I became a teacher At high school. They're kind of already in that mindset. They already have those preconceived notions of no, I can't do this, I hate math. I can now correct that and with I&I I am just seeing how much these kids are growing, the conversations that they're having, the confidence and them wanting to explore their willingness to help one another, the positivity that they have. It's insane. I'm so proud of the kids. They've done an incredible job, so I just can't wait to see how it continues to grow over the years.
Speaker 1:Because you were teaching core connections before or still are. But with the I&I what is being enhanced, what is adding to that to make that line shift for your students, do you think?
Speaker 5:the curriculum. So now seeing all CC1, CC2, CC3 and teaching I&I, I really am able to see a true picture of the fluidity and how it builds.
Speaker 5:So I am able to better assist my kids and tell them hey, you're going to learn this coming up and I can prepare them. So even the seventh grade content. It doesn't always align, but I'm preparing them for future things that they're going to learn. So in Unit 4, there is some solving equations, but now in CC2, they're just starting Chapter 6, which is going to implement solving equations with inequalities, and then they'll be solving more. So I'm just preparing them. I'm showing them future concepts that they're going to be learning and building their skill set. I feel like when you're dealing with students that don't love math to begin with and have a little confidence, if I can already show them what they're going to learn and help them ease into that, it makes it less scary.
Speaker 1:They're like okay, I can do this because they're in a smaller setting.
Speaker 5:Right, I have built a safe classroom, a safe environment. These kids trust me and their classmates. They're not afraid to say I don't know, I don't get this, how did you do this, how'd you get that? Like they're cheering each other on and that's exciting to see. So they're being the booster, which is one of our team roles. It's really nice to see them do that and troubleshoot their ideas Like hey, I did this, maybe you should try this, or why did you do that? It's nice to hear the investigative talk and so they feel more comfortable with asking questions than I think they would in a class of 25 or 30, because they don't want to be called dumb. So it's nice that they get those questions out.
Speaker 2:So when you're thinking about the things I mean, I hear you talking about the differences in some of the team roles and setting up the safe environment and those pieces, and it sounds to me like I&I is helping you create those things more than just in the core connection stuff that you were doing. And so can you talk some more about what are some of the elements of I and I that you feel like are really allowing you to do that?
Speaker 5:I mean I love the launches. I think the launches are a great way to start the activities. My kids love them. They love. They've really done well with the thumb up. I know you guys can't see me in camera, but I'm putting my thumb up.
Speaker 5:So for a launch, there's a lot of number talks, what doesn't belong kids are, or dot talks. So you show a launch and the kids don't talk to each other. You give them a couple minutes and you let them look. If they come up with an idea, they put their thumb up. If they come up with another idea, they put another finger up. They did a really great job responding to that and I've heard them say hey, are we going to do a number talk today? What are we doing today?
Speaker 3:So they're excited.
Speaker 5:You know, I've never seen that and I've talked I've talked with Lisa Amick that the kids have asked me hey, can we do more problems? Hey, can we go show the assistant principal Because he used to be a math teacher? They're excited to show the staff, their parents, their work. They're proud of their work In the drinking fountain activity. I showed them the video and they're like hey, can we go record our data from our drinking fountain? I'm like this is amazing. So then I quickly came up with an Excel spreadsheet and we did that for about two weeks. I just finished lesson 4.8, no 4.7, with the proportions, with the day of the weeks and the running. Okay, am I correct in the?
Speaker 2:I don't know. You have to tell us more, because some people might not even know that. So can you tell us a little more about what the problem is?
Speaker 5:So in lesson 4.7, how far did she run? The kids are working with proportions and ratios. And the one question only had Monday through Thursday. The kids were working with proportions and ratios and the one question only had Monday through Thursday. The kids were like, hey, can you give us more problems? I'm like sure. So I came up with different examples and numbers for Friday, saturday, sunday. They're like this is so fun, this is awesome. I'm like where am I? What's happening? There's a lot more work. So it's just, it's exciting. Even the Super Bowl lesson, which was like 4.6. I had the student. We talked about the Super Bowl. I had them each come up with their own question and they were so excited. They're like I learned so much about the Super Bowl. Or in their research they're like I want to know more. It prompted more questions they're excited to learn. Then, as silly as it sounds, the one there is a lesson about not prank calls, telemarketers or those text messages like that, you get the spam call.
Speaker 3:And I was like this is.
Speaker 5:This is kind of a tough lesson with some of the questions. But then a couple of days later the kids go hey, remember in on Monday we were talking about spam calls in this class and I'm like, so they're relating it to the real world, they're seeing these connections. I'm like, oh my gosh, they are listening, they are learning. So it's great to hear them talk about it, not just in my class.
Speaker 1:And it sounds like they're really excited in the inspiration and ideas class. And are they just as excited in the Inspiration and Ideas class? And are they just as excited now? Do you see that difference in the 8th grade course or the Algebra course? Are they bringing that excitement into the other?
Speaker 5:I do think it's easing their anxiety.
Speaker 5:But when they came into regular class, they were a little worried, like am I going to do? Well? Because, again, these kids were not successful in 7th grade. So now I'm bringing them into. You know they struggle. I'm not saying they're terrible, but they had some fears and anxieties. So, coming from I&I because I had it earlier in the day and then they took the regular math course later Yep, it definitely helped them. They were my kids that were participating more, were helping other kids, being leaders in my regular math class and being willing to answer questions and help their peers. So, and it definitely translated into their grades and their test scores. So, yes, Awesome, awesome.
Speaker 2:So where are you going from here? You've got some months of the school year left. What's your plan for the rest of the school year? And then, do you know what it it's gonna look like next year for your kids?
Speaker 5:um, are you asking like my plans for the rest of I and I or sir? Okay, well I was the or well, I and I comes with two books and I'm really excited that I'm gonna be done with book one in about two weeks, so prior to spring break I'm gonna be finished with book one.
Speaker 5:And the kids are like, are we to spring break? I'm going to be finished with book one. And the kids are like, are we going to get a new book? I said you are. So they're anticipating that and they're like, but wait, we're probably not going to finish it. And I'm like, nope, we're going to just do as much as we can. So they're excited. They know.
Speaker 5:I really love the journaling and there's a journal with a reflection side and a narrative side. I really love the reflection piece, which I feel aligns with the learning logs from Core Connections. I really like the learning logs. I create my own questions for the learning logs because in Core Connections it doesn't give you those questions, where in I&I they do give you some prompts. I will add to both prompts. I like the piece because I can be relatable to the kids. I'll tell them about a journey or a story to help them spark some ideas for their own reflection pieces and just add on because there's some things that I want to know. So I love that piece. So I'm excited to do that.
Speaker 5:But yes, next year I'm going to continue to teach I&I. They sent me to this training. I was nominated, applied for the initiative. It's mine, it's all mine. They're not teaching me. I'm super excited to grow the program and just to be better and to take what the kids have taught me this year and what I've learned this year and to apply it for next year and make it even better. So I'm really excited. I'm really happy that we have this program for our students because I know that it's going to help them grow even more. So I'm excited. And it's a class that the parents can see, that it aligns where I feel the parents felt that the support class was just a blow-off class, a homework class, where now it's more than that. It's more than just you're doing homework, no, you're learning math in a different way and it's going to help them in the long term. So the buy-in from not only the staff, the school, the community, it's all there.
Speaker 1:That's really cool. Have you been able to stay in contact or do you guys support each other with your colleagues that you spent the summer with?
Speaker 5:Oh my gosh, thanks for asking. We have an amazing I&I group chat. I love my people. They're amazing. Yeah, we talk all the time. We'll bounce ideas off of each other in the chat. We're like what lesson are you on? Or was this confusing? How did you do this lesson? Yes, I love all my peeps.
Speaker 3:Shout out to everybody.
Speaker 2:So if there were a teacher who was listening to this and thinking about, I and I wondering and thinking about, and contemplating applying for the initiative, what would you suggest to them?
Speaker 5:I would say don't hesitate, dinah, you're not going to regret it. One of my colleagues in the summer taught it teaches at an alternative school and she's even applying it there. I wish I had this when I taught alternative ed. They would have loved it. You know, blown with this, this is what they need. They need to apply mathematics in a more practical manner, to do group talk, to help one another, to build confidence, because that's what they're lacking. So this is great. No matter what age group you teach Middle school, high school, alternative ed I say sign up, you're not going to regret it. It's amazing. You're not going to regret it, it's amazing.
Speaker 2:Well, lisa, thank you so much for coming on the podcast today and bringing your enthusiasm about I&I. I mean it sounds like things are going really well for you and I really am happy for the kids that are getting to experience that with you.
Speaker 5:Thank you so much.
Speaker 2:Of course. Thank you for this program. Happy New Year. Happy New Year, thank you this program. Have a great rest of your year.
Speaker 3:Thank you, you're welcome. Hey everyone, this is Lisa Amick and I work on CPM's research and professional learning teams. I'm here with a quick but important plug for an incredible opportunity called the Inspirations and Ideas Initiative, also known as iCubed. If you are a middle school or even an early high school math teacher looking for a better way to support your students who struggle, this initiative is for you. Icubed is a game-changing professional learning opportunity to attend the National Teacher Institute in Salt Lake City June 23rd through 27th, with travel, lodging, meals and other expenses covered. This initiative is designed to support CPM's mission of more math for more people by helping teachers bring engaging, asset-based math instruction to students who may struggle with algebra readiness.
Speaker 3:So what's the catch? There actually isn't one. If selected winners will one attend the National Teacher Institute in Salt Lake City June 23rd through 27th, with all major expenses covered. Two, learn about Inspirations and Ideas, a transformative middle-level supplemental course designed to build algebra readiness. Three, commit to purchasing and implementing Inspirations and Ideas in their district for the upcoming school year. And four, be asked to complete a short pre and post-survey and interview to support ongoing research. So you might be wondering what makes Inspirations and Ideas different? Well, unlike traditional math intervention programs, inspirations and Ideas. Focuses on deep mathematical understanding, rich problem solving and building student competence in mathematics. It's challenging yet supportive, promotes engagement over memorization and has received fantastic feedback from both students and teachers. So if this sounds like something you or your district could benefit from, don't wait. Applications are due by May 1st. I'd love to see you in Salt Lake City this summer and I truly hope that you apply.
Speaker 4:So that is all we have time for on this episode of the More Math for More People podcast. If you are interested in connecting with us on social media, find our links in the podcast description, and the music for the podcast was created by Julius H. It can be found on pixabaycom. So thank you very much, julius. Join us in two weeks for the next episode of More Math for More People. What day will that be, joel?
Speaker 1:It'll be April 1st, Mathematics and Statistics Awareness Month and you might think I'm kidding because it's April 1st, but I'm not. It really is the whole month Mathematics and Statistics Awareness, and it's fun to look at statistics and have data chats and number talks and all sorts of things so that we can see trends through history, what's going on in our world today, what's happening in nature. See all of those things, and so we'll talk about all the things that are going to happen over the month of April to make mathematics and statistics aware to everyone. So we'll see you on April 1st.
Speaker 3:Thank you Bye.