Today’s guest is Vanessa Vakharia - also known as The Math Guru. She is the author of the book (and narrator of the audio book) Math Therapy, the host of the Math Therapy Podcast and overall badass advocate of building positive math identities in our students, the schools in which they learn, and society in general.
Something about Vanessa is that she is fiercely committed to what she is doing - even when it seems like people will do anything to try to bring her down or prove her wrong. Asked once why a pretty girl like her was teaching math, she clapped back by receiving a Masters Degree in Math Education and Feminist Theory writing a thesis called “Imagining a World Where Paris Hilton Loves Math.” The world where people believing they aren’t math people, it is acceptable to hate math and numbers, or folks write movies where the pretty cheerleader is making over the nerdy math girl is an unacceptable world and Vanessa is here to combat that - no matter what.
I am enormously grateful to Vanessa for the work she is doing in our schools. I am enormously grateful for the conversation and the opportunity to think about her work and how it applies to so many things in our lives (we talk about this in the episode!). So sit back, relax, and put your finger on the rewind button. I promise there are nuggets in here you’re going to want to listen to more than once!
Places to find Vanessa:
Instagram: @themathguru
The Teaching Forward podcast kicks off with a practical, no-fluff tour of artificial intelligence (AI) in K-12 education: tools and tips that give teachers time back without replacing what matters most. Keep Indiana Learning Innovation Coaches Karisa Schwanekamp and Tim Arnold share classroom-tested stories, UDL-aligned planning, faster feedback loops for students, and smarter family communication - plus clear guidance for safety and ethics. Think of AI as a thought partner, not an answer machine. Start small, collaborate, and move teaching into the future! Click below for a list of resources and more details about this episode.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1h0WAXrCyF1KRRxIE-1sj8srRSyot0bfC/view?usp=sharing
In this episode, Dr. Whitney Newton and Nadia Nibbs from TNTP explore the power of consistency in schools—how reliable routines, expectations, and supports help students thrive. Drawing on TNTP’s Opportunity Makers research, they share stories from schools that have built strong, consistent cultures and discuss practical strategies for educators and leaders. Listeners will hear actionable insights and real-world examples for building environments where every student knows what to expect and can succeed. Check out the full research paper: https://tntp.org/opportunity-makers
Ready to level up your reading life? Join Anna, Morgan, and Martie for episode 39 of Season 5 as they dive into a topic near and dear to their hearts: the immense importance and wonderful impact of book clubs! Tune in to hear why starting or joining a book club can be the best next step for your reading journey... regardless of your age. The Lit Gals are proud to be part of the Keep Indiana Learning network and are excited to also be airing on the KINL Podcast network this season! Books Shared: For Young Readers Dolly Parton's Imagination Library "The Little Engine That Could" (Watty Piper) "Shake Dem Halloween Bones" () For Middle Schoolers: Fire Keeper's Daughter (A. Boulley) "Refugee" (A. Gratz) "Lions of Little Rock" (K. Levine) "Proud" (I. Muhammad) "Life in Motion" (M. Copeland) For Adults: "The Woman They Could Not Silence" (K. Moore) "Listening to the Law" (A.Coney Barrett) "We Are All Guilty Here" (Karin Slaughter) "Witchcraft for Wayward Girls" (Grady Hendrix) "Jump and Find Joy" (Hoda Kotb) "Atmosphere" (Taylor Jenkins Reid) "The Briar Club" (Kate Quinn) "The Blonde Who Came in from the Cold" (Ally Carter)
We're re-releasing this episode with some added audio from our interview with 94 yr. old former camper, Harrison Harker and his wife Natalie, also a former camper. The impact Camp Whitley has had on the community is immeasurable, and all because a teacher saw a need and tried to help. Teachers rule!
This week, we speak with Jason Walke. Jason is a recognized leader in EdTech, known for helping schools create ethical AI policies and teaching students how to use AI as a powerful efficiency tool.
In this episode, Ryan Flessner joins me in welcoming Chris Luzniak and Rob Baier, hosts of the DebateMath podcast (and so much more) to talk about Hot Topics in Math Education. Although we recorded this over Labor Day weekend, I wanted to wait until before the annual NCSM/NCTM conferences to release as I thought the timing would be perfect for those attending and thinking about what sessions they might want to seek out to learn more - and the session choices are so good this year! Hot topics include, but are not limited to homework policies, grading, rethinking high school math, the Science of Math, and so much more. This is a long one, so I’m not going to say a lot of words here, but boy there are a lot of great hot topics and I found myself wanting to talk more and more about each one as I was editing! AND, even if you need to fast forward to the end, you’re going to want to hear what everyone says during the consolidation because these are some thoughtful math educators inspiring you with all their words throughout the whole episode, but I was so proud to know them relistening to the consolidation! So sit back and relax, but also get ready for your head to start spinning while thinking about these hot topics in math education!
Places to find everyone:
https://www.linkedin.com/company/debatmath-llc
Also check them out on X (formerly known as Twitter) and BlueSky!
Join us for a chat about school culture with middle school principal, Carrie Wisehart, not someone you just meet, but someone you learn from.
Catch more of Carrie on TikTok @carriewisehart.
During this episode Rebekah Frazier from IDOE sits down with High School Counselor, Lizette Baumann to explore key legislative updates from the 2025 session.
Moderator Name, Title: Lizette Baumann, School Counselor, Fishers High School, Hamilton Southeastern Schools
Guest Name, Title: Rebekah Frazier, School Counseling Specialist, Indiana Department of Education
Episode Resources (links to any resources mentioned during the episode or any that might be helpful to go along with the topic):
Senate Enrolled Act 482 - Absenteeism and Student Discipline
HEA 1634 - Math Education
HEA 1499 IN Work Study Program | EARN Indiana | Work & Learn Indiana
SEA 448 Admission for IN Residents at State Educational Institutions
Today, not but 3 days after I uploaded the last episode, I have pulled Ryan Flessner from dealing with the incredibly aggravating thistle in our front yard to discuss a breaking news item from a LinkedIN post I shared on Thursday. There is a lot of conversation happening in the comments and rather than respond to every single comment and risk being misunderstood or having a tone I actually do not have, I asked Ryan to record with me for a little bit to talk about some of the common themes we were seeing in the comments. It’s so important to me for all to know I am constantly thinking about this stuff and how to help teachers truly know how to work with students in the most impactful ways. I am not in your shoes. I am not on your journey. But I do want to offer all I can for educators to think about as they are on their own journey - that’s one reason why I resurrected this podcast. I do not have all the answers to all the things, and don’t plan on ever having them. Even when I think I’m right, I have a tiny voice in my head asking me, “Are you really? Have you thought this through enough? Is there more you should read or more people you should reach out to to ask questions?”
So before you start listening, pause and ask yourself, how would you solve 1,000 - 999? And then have a listen! Thanks for being here and thank you to Ryan for taking the time to think with me.
Resources mentioned (but there are so many more!)
Ed Leadership isn’t just for becoming a principal, it’s for every teacher wanting to become better at what they do and more connected to the school environment. Join us and strengthen your agency and efficacy around leadership.
Get ready to put pen to paper with The Lit Gals! In their latest episode, "Ink & Imagination: Why Writing Matters," Anna, Morgan, and Martie are diving into the world of writing, exploring why it's so important for writing not to be an afterthought in classrooms. They share some of their favorite books to spark inspiration before wrapping up with what they’re currently reading.
Young Readers
"Ladybug Life Cycle"
"Frieda" by Jonah Winter
"The Grand Canyon" by Wendel Minor"
"If You Give a Mouse a Cookie" & "If You Give a Pig a Pancake" by Laura Numeroff
"We're Going on a Bear Hunt" by Michael Rosen, Helen Oxenbury
Middle School and Up
"Dear Mr. Henshaw" by Beverly Cleary
"Dear Martin by Nic Stone
"I Will Always Write Back" by Caitlin Alifirenka & Martin Ganda with Liz Welch
"And So I Roar" by Abi Dare
"The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek" by Kim Michelle Richardson
"One of Our Own" by Lucinda Berry
"The Briar Club" by Kate Quinn
I haven’t recorded since October of 2024 for a variety of reasons including but not limited to moving into the position of Director at Keep Indiana Learning, being fully immersed in work in schools and my own learning, continuing to battle getting my PhD completed, and facilitating two teenagers in their final years of high school. It’s all been very busy, but I don’t have a single thing to complain about.
Over the summer, I was immersed in my own professional learning, working with new school districts, planning some research projects, and having many conversations with school and district leaders about the math teaching they see and hear. There are just so many questions about what we should be doing in math class; so, I’m working on creating a math resource page on our KINL website and am bringing back the podcast to try to provide answers to the many questions I see, create some clarity around many misconceptions I hear about the teaching and learning of mathematics, and bust some myths. All in doing so, I want educators to feel inspired to go out and do the good work all our students need us to be doing.
I asked my favorite thinking partner and colleague, Ryan Flessner to help kick off this new era of Math and Other Things, so hopefully you’ll learn a thing or two and enjoy!
In this episode, Jeff sits down with Dr. Whitney Newton from TNTP to explore The Opportunity Makers—a groundbreaking research study that reveals how schools across the country are helping students catch up and thrive. Whitney shares key findings, stories from real schools, and practical insights around the three conditions that make the biggest difference: belonging, consistency, and coherence. Whether you're a teacher, administrator, or district leader, this conversation offers inspiration and tools to drive change in your school. Check out the full research paper here.
Joe Feldman is the author of Grading For Equity, and founder of the Crescendo Education Group. In this episode he shares some of his research around grading practices and how to update them to be more accurate, bias resistant, and motivational. Grades should help students learn and get better, not divide them and punish them. Join us for an informative and engaging discussion.
In this first episode of season 6, we shed some light on one of the truly legendary school-to-community connections in Indiana, Camp Whitley, as seen through the memories of three of the oldest living campers, Sue and Chick Harker, and Harriet Hamilton. Learn what makes this camp so special and travel back in time with us to the 1940s as we share what makes this Whitley County institution so important.
Eric Nentrup is an educator, writer, and self-proclaimed disrupter, and that's just getting the list started. I learned so much in this episode and also thought of a hundred other questions about teaching at the start of this AI era and where we're headed. Join us as we gaze into our crystal ball and talk about future-proofing our schools. Your future-self will be glad you tuned in!
Indiana has new diplomas coming for high schools, but what does it mean for us in the middle? Join us with our special guest, Kale Blickenstaff, as we discuss what impact the new Indiana diplomas will have and are already having on middle schools.
Join facilitators Christy Berger, Brooke Lawson and special guest Jacob Hauck as they discuss safe technology usage and share strategies for helping support all students with appropriate technology use.
Teachers know a lot, and most of it they didn't learn in college, they learned by doing it, on the job, in the trenches. Join us for an enlightening conversation about what we've learned from being a teacher. Then find a way to share what you've learned with others!