Think Thank Thunk
This podcast, hosted by Dean, Maegan, and Kyle, focuses on Peter Liljedahl's book Building Thinking Classrooms. It offers interviews with experts and teachers, along with practical strategies for applying the book's 14 optimal teaching practices. Episodes include chapter summaries and lesson ideas aimed at math educators. The show supports teachers at any experience level who want to create more engaging and meaningful math learning experiences.
Episodes
Ep 30 - Still Here
In this episode, Kyle, Maegan, and Dean pick up where they left off. Maegan shares her experience teaching EMTH 300, where working with soon-to-be teachers brought math trauma and misconceptions to the surface. Dean reflects on how reframing estimation as prediction has shifted his students' willingness to take risks in the classroom, while Kyle shares where his thinking on assessment and navi
Ep 29 - Behind the Books (Part 2)
In this episode, Dean returns to the host’s chair to welcome back Maegan and Kyle for the second half of their "Behind the Books" conversation, shifting the focus from the writing process to the messy reality of the classroom. Together, they contrast their unique creative styles from Kyle’s "procrastination-to-panic" sprint to Maegan’s marathon of task testing and open up abou
Ep 28 - Behind the Books (Part 1)
In this episode, Dean takes the host's chair to interview Maegan and Kyle, who have both recently co-authored books in the Building Thinking Classrooms series with Peter Liljedahl. They discuss the release of the new Building Thinking Classrooms Tasks in Mathematics, Grades 6-12 book and how it complements Maegan’s previously released Building Thinking Classrooms Tasks in Mathematics, Grades K
Ep 27 - Jason To
In this episode, Kyle welcomes Jason To, Math Coordinator for the Toronto District School Board. Together, they address the ongoing debate between inquiry-based learning and explicit instruction. Jason shares his journey into the world of cognitive science, exploring how concepts like cognitive load theory and collective working memory may actually help explain why the Building Thinking Classrooms
Ep 26 - Chase Orton
In this episode, Kyle and Dean welcome Chase Orton, author of The Imperfect and Unfinished Math Teacher. Together, they dive into the core themes from Chase's book, exploring the power of vulnerability and what it means to be an "imperfect and unfinished" teacher. They discuss the importance of interrogating our own math story and breaking free from the traditional "script"
Ep 25 - The Messy Reality
In this episode, Maegan, Dean, and Kyle get real about their day-to-day journeys with Building Thinking Classrooms. Together, they pull back the curtain to share the "messy reality": the highs, the lows, and the everyday challenges that don't always make the highlight reel. They discuss the universal struggle of getting students to stand, managing complex classroom dynamics with lear
Ep 24 - Vanessa Vakharia
In this episode, Kyle, Maegan, and Dean welcome Vanessa Vakharia, aka The Math Guru and author of Math Therapy. Together, they unpack the deep-seated issue of math trauma and how the Building Thinking Classrooms approach helps us deal with it. The group explores how to create a classroom culture built on empathy and safety by prioritizing questions over answers, while also discussing the importanc
Ep 23 - We’re Back… Again! (and We’re Sorry!)
After a longer-than-planned break, Kyle, Maegan, and Dean are back! In this candid episode, the trio addresses their podcast hiatus and shares their excitement to reconnect with the community. Dean and Maegan dive into powerful stories from their first day back in the classroom, while Kyle reflects on his role in professional development and his passion for getting back into classrooms to learn fr
Ep 22 - Tammy McMorrow
In this episode, Kyle and Maegan welcome Tammy McMorrow (@TammyMcMorrow / @tammymcmorrow.bsky.social) to discuss her experiences with Building Thinking Classrooms. Tammy shares her journey from discovering the transformative BTC approach in 2021 to implementing it with her first-grade students in Idaho. She talks about the impact of creating a Thinking Classroom including the surprising gains her
Ep 21 - Peter Liljedahl
In this episode, Kyle, Maegan, and Dean welcome back Dr. Peter Liljedahl to discuss his ongoing work and insights in Building Thinking Classrooms. Together, they delve into a range of topics like the recent BTC conference, various strategies for using banners and partitioning student workspaces, and the evolving nature of the Thinking Classrooms practices. Tune in to also hear about the importance
Ep 20 - We're Back!
After a bit of a break from the podcast, we're back with a new episode (and more to come)! In this episode, Dean, Maegan, and Kyle reintroduce themselves and share updates on their current roles and endeavors. They delve into their experiences with the Thinking Classroom model across various grade levels, discussing both the successes and challenges they've encountered. Maegan highlights her work
Ep 19 - High School Student Insights
In this episode, Kyle and Dean have a conversation with three of Dean's students about their experiences in his Thinking Classroom. Recorded just before the end of the last school year, the students share how this approach to learning math has transformed their perspectives and engagement. They discuss the social and collaborative benefits of Thinking Classrooms, how it has helped them overcom
Ep 18 - Alicia Burdess
In this episode, Maegan and Kyle are delighted to welcome Alicia Burdess (@BurdessAlicia), a coach and numeracy lead from Grand Prairie Catholic School District. Alicia shares her inspiring journey from aspiring sports doctor to a passionate math educator and leader. She discusses her deep love of Building Thinking Classrooms and how it transformed her teaching approach. Alicia passionately talks
Ep 17 - Peter & Meagan's K-5 Task Book
Enter to win a free set of Wipebook Flipcharts for your Thinking Classroom: www.wipebook.com/TTT
Join Kyle and Dean as they engage in a lively conversation with Peter Liljedahl and Maegan Giroux about the newest addition to the world of Building Thinking Classrooms: Mathematics Tasks for the Thinking Classroom, Grades K-5. This book is specially crafted for K-5 educators and goes beyond being ju
Ep 16 - Jerrold Wiebe
Enter to win a free set of Wipebook Flipcharts for your Thinking Classroom: www.wipebook.com/TTT
In this episode, Kyle and Dean chat with Jerrold Wiebe (@Jerroldwiebe), a Numeracy & Mathematics Consultant and a part of the Building Thinking Classrooms Canadian team.
A "legacy" teacher with over 35 years of experience in education, ranging from classroom teaching to district math le
Ep 15 - Judy Larsen
Enter to win a free set of Wipebook Flipcharts for your Thinking Classroom: www.wipebook.com/TTT
In this episode, Kyle has a conversation with Judy Larson (@JudytaLarsen), Associate Professor at University of Fraser Valley and longtime Building Thinking Classrooms teacher.
Deeply entrenched in math education and an unwavering advocate for innovative teaching, Judy shares her captivating journey
Ep 14 - Sophie Bresciani
Trauma-Informed Practices and the Power of Thinking Classrooms
Enter to win a free set of Wipebook Flipcharts for your Thinking Classroom: www.wipebook.com/TTT
In this episode, we take you back to a pivotal conversation from 2022 between Kyle, Dean, and the Sophie Bresciani (@soph_bresciani), a champion of trauma-informed teaching and Thinking Classrooms. Sophie offers deep insights into creating
Ep 13 - Tim Brzezinski & Melisa McCain
This episode has a portion where Tim & Melisa screenshared the tool mentioned, you can watch the video recording here.
Join hosts Dean and Kyle as they chat with Tim Brzezinski (@TimBrzezinski) and Melisa McCain (@mccainm), advocates for Building Thinking Classrooms and improving assessment practices. Their conversation is focused on a grading tool, crafted by Tim, Melisa, and their colleagues
Ep 12 - Brian Jackson
In this episode, hosts Kyle and Dean have a conversation with Brian Jackson. With over three decades of teaching experience, Brian offers unique insights into the transformative power of the Thinking Classrooms methodology.
Listeners are given a front-row seat to Brian's journey into Thinking Classrooms, starting with his initial reluctance to explore something new, to his deliberate explorat
Ep 11 - Jared is Back
In this episode Jared Sliger (@jared_sliger) is back to chat with Kyle and Dean.
Their discussion revolves around practical tips for engaging parents and involving them in the process of the Thinking Classroom. Jared shares his experience with a successful 'family night' held at his school intended to give parents a first-hand experience with Thinking Classrooms. He stresses the importance
Ep 10 - The Art of the Close
In this episode, join Kyle, Dean, and Maegan as they share the latest insights gleaned from Peter Liljedahl on the new ideas taking hold in Thinking Classrooms.
They take a deep dive into the art of crafting a Thinking Classroom lesson, dissecting the distinct phases of launch, body, and close. Explore how the nature of your task, be it divergent or convergent, shapes the optimal approach to concl
Ep 9 - Lana Steiner
In this episode of the podcast, Kyle and Dean are joined by Lana Steiner (@LanaSteiner4), a math teacher, coach, and administrator from Saskatchewan.
Lana shares her insights on how she employs rich tasks and mixes in other teaching methods with Thinking Classrooms to make math more meaningful for students. She also talks about the importance of growth mindset and math mindset in learning math, a
Ep 8 - Back to School
Join Kyle, Dean, and Maegan as they candidly discuss the early days of the school year in Building Thinking Classrooms. They share their experiences and provide insights for educators at any stage of their journey into this innovative teaching approach.
In this episode, our hosts also reveal their aspirations for the upcoming year, largely focused on meaningful notes and improving assessment pract
Ep 7 - 4R's of Decolonizing Math Ed
Join Kyle as he sits down with Maegan for an enlightening discussion on mathematics education through the lens of decolonization. In this episode, Maegan unveils her 4R's of Decolonizing Mathematics Education: Respect, Responsibility, Relevance, and Reciprocity.
Dive into an exploration of a powerful framework designed for personal reflection, aimed at dismantling colonial constructs within ma
Ch 15 - Pulling the 14 Practices Together
Join Kyle and Maegan as they dive into Chapter 15 from Building Thinking Classrooms by Peter Liljedahl.
They address the big question surrounding how teacher can realistically implement all of the Thinking Classroom practices without overwhelming themselves and their students. They get into the four toolkits laid out in the book and share some tips and ideas on how to best implement each toolkit.
Ch 14 - How We Grade
Join Kyle and Maegan as they dive into Chapter 14 from Building Thinking Classrooms by Peter Liljedahl.
They discuss the big question most teachers have about Thinking Classrooms: how do we grade our students? By utilizing the navigation instruments as grading tools, they share how teachers can shift from a points-gathering paradigm towards a data-gathering paradigm and better reflect the achievem
Ch 13 - How We Use Formative Assessment
Join Kyle and Maegan as they dive into Chapter 13 from Building Thinking Classrooms by Peter Liljedahl.
They discuss how all assessment should be formative assessment, and some of it will end up being summative. We dive into how to use the navigation instruments suggested in the book and explore how they can better support students in better understanding where they are in their learning journey.
Ch 12 - What We Choose to Evaluate
Join Kyle and Maegan as they dive into Chapter 12 from Building Thinking Classrooms by Peter Liljedahl.
They discuss the idea of evaluating what we value in our Thinking Classroom. If we value perserverence, risk-taking, and collaboration we need to evaluate these in order to develop these competencies in our students. Listen in for a simple, but effective, way of remixing traditional rubrics into
Ch 11 - How Students Take Notes
Join Kyle and Maegan as they dive into Chapter 11 from Building Thinking Classrooms by Peter Liljedahl.
They discuss the idea of shifting note taking to note making for students by having students write notes to their future-forgetful-selves. Listen in for some simple shifts to make in how you approach notes that will result in making notes a thinking activity, rather than a mindless activity.
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Ch 10 - How We Consolidate
Join Kyle and Maegan as they dive into Chapter 10 from Building Thinking Classrooms by Peter Liljedahl.
They discuss the importance of consolidation in a Thinking Classroom and share some of the different ways teachers can consolidate. Listen in for some tips and tricks that they've learned through trial-and-error to help you refine your consolidation practices.
This episode is the eleventh i
Ep 6 - The Students Have Their Say
It's summer break for us and in this episode, we take a different direction by revisiting and resharing a recording from our previous podcast. Listen in as we talk directly to students in Thinking Classrooms from a few of our schools. You'll hear from students in a wide range of grades as they share how math has been different this year, what they've liked and disliked, and what they h
Ch 9 - How We Use Hints and Extensions
Join Kyle and Maegan as they dive into Chapter 9 from Building Thinking Classrooms by Peter Liljedahl.
They discuss the concept of flow and why we need to be so aware of the states our students are in during Thinking Classroom tasks. They also discuss thin-slicing, the banner method and Maegan shares a fun way she incorporates a joker card into her deck for random groups. This episode is all about
Ch 8 - How We Foster Student Autonomy
Join Kyle and Maegan as they dive into Chapter 8 from Building Thinking Classrooms by Peter Liljedahl.
They discuss ways we can build student autonomy by allowing students to think for themselves and manage their own learning. They also share some teacher moves to help build student autonomy and get into some of the benefits of leaning into this practice.
This episode is the ninth in the series
Ep 5 - Peter Liljedahl
In this episode, Dean, Maegan and Kyle interview Peter Liljedahl (@pgliljedahl), author of Building Thinking Classrooms and lead researcher behind the transformational teaching practices.
We discuss the popularity of the book and how it has become a game-changer for educators worldwide. Explore new and innovative methods for consolidation and notemaking that empower students to become active think
Ch 7 - What Homework Looks Like
Join Kyle and Maegan as they dive into Chapter 7 from Building Thinking Classrooms by Peter Liljedahl.
They discuss the challenges of homework, the disconnect between teachers and students regarding its purpose, and how Thinking Classrooms can implement Check-Your-Understanding questions as a reframing of homework that promotes thinking in learners.
This episode is the eighth in the series w
Ep 4 - Lisa Eberharter
In this episode, Kyle and Dean are joined by Lisa Eberharter (@lisaebe), a Curriculum Consultant with Saskatchewan’s Ministry of Education. They discuss the intersection of Building Thinking Classrooms and multiple representations in math class. The conversation highlights the importance of the concrete-pictorial-symbolic continuum (sometimes called concrete-representational-abstract) and ways t
Ch 6 - When, Where, and How Tasks are Given
Join Kyle and Maegan as they dive into Chapter 6 from Building Thinking Classrooms by Peter Liljedahl.
They discuss how important our delivery or rich tasks is. Listen in for ideas on how to shift towards delivering tasks early, on our feet, and in ways that will engage our learners.
This episode is the seventh in the series where we go through each chapter of Building Thinking Classrooms
Ch 5 - How We Answer Questions
Join Kyle and Maegan as they dive into Chapter 5 from Building Thinking Classrooms by Peter Liljedahl.
They discuss the types of questions we face as teachers and some of problems they present. Listen in for ideas on how to shift our focus from answering every question towards using questions as a way to promote thinking.
Here is a link to Laura Wheeler's (@wheeler_laura) #ThinkingClassroom
Ep 3 - Necessary Conditions with Geoff Krall
Dean and Kyle are joined by Geoff Krall (@geoffkrall), who wears multiple hats as an author, PhD student, math leader, and professional developer.
Geoff unveils the enlightening insights he has gathered in his book Necessary Conditions. Together, we delve into the fascinating realm of academic safety, effective facilitation, and quality tasks, all while forging meaningful connections to the tr
Ch 4 - How We Arrange Our Classrooms
Join Kyle and Maegan as they dive into Chapter 4 from Building Thinking Classrooms by Peter Liljedahl.
They discuss why how we arrange our classroom matters and what defronting our classroom is all about. They also provide some ideas on how you might tackle this practice in your classroom.
This episode is the fifth in the series where we go through each chapter of Building Thinking Classr
Ch 3 - Where Students Work
Join Kyle and Maegan as they dive into Chapter 3 from Building Thinking Classrooms by Peter Liljedahl.
They discuss why where we have students work matters, how implementing vertical non-permanent surfaces (VNPS) can promote student engagement, thinking, collaboration, and reduce anonymity. Throughout the conversation, they provide valuable insights and practical tips for maximizing the benefits
Ep 2 - Gale Russell
Kyle and Dean are joined by Dr. Gale Russell (@GaleForcedWinds), a professor of Mathematics Education at the University of Regina. Gale shares her insights on building a Thinking Classroom and how Peter Liljedahl’s work has influenced her teaching of pre-service teachers. She also talks about the importance of creating a safe and inclusive learning environment for students.
Listen in as we discuss
Ch 2 - How We Form Collaborative Groups
Join Kyle and Maegan as they dive into Chapter 2 from Building Thinking Classrooms by Peter Liljedahl.
They discuss why the way we form groups matters, how to form frequent visibly random groups, and share some of the benefits of structuring groups this way.
This episode is the third in the series where we go through each chapter of Building Thinking Classrooms by Peter Liljedahl.
Ch 1 - Tasks in Thinking Classrooms
Join Kyle and Maegan as they dive into Chapter 1 from Building Thinking Classrooms by Peter Liljedahl.
They discuss why tasks matter, the characteristics of good tasks, and share some of our favorite tasks with you.
Here is a link to our task database: http://bit.ly/SKmathtasks
This episode is the second in the series where we go through each chapter of Building Thinking Classrooms by P
Ch 0 - Introduction to Building Thinking Classrooms
Join Kyle and Maegan as they dive into the Introduction chapter from Building Thinking Classrooms by Peter Liljedahl.
They discuss how this introduction sets the stage for the rest of the book by introducing the "studenting" behaviors and looks at how little thinking is actually happening in traditional math classrooms.
This episode is the first in the series where we go through ea
Ep 1 - Jared Sliger
In this episode, Dean, Maegan and Kyle interview Jared Sliger (@jared_sliger), a middle school math teacher who teaches in Caldwell School Districts in Idaho.
Jared shares his experience teaching middle school math and how he has adapted his teaching style to better engage students over time - ultimately leading him to the Building Thinking Classroom practices. He also discusses some of the work h
Ep 0 - Welcome to Think, Thank, Thunk
What is Think, Thank, Thank all about? And who are Dean, Maegan, and Kyle?
Follow us on Twitter: @ThinkThankPod
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