Math Therapy

When Vanessa saw today’s guest deliver a deeply personal talk at a recent math conference, she was left with more questions than answers; all she knew for certain was she had to get him on the podcast. Sean Nank is a math educator who believes that the power of our students' stories is the most valuable tool we can harness in our math classrooms, and he illustrates this by sharing his own journey of growing up in an abusive environment, learning to understand and embrace his OCD, and the fateful day that math, for real, saved his own life.

On that note, a heads up that today’s episode involves a brief discussion early on about abuse and suicide.

About Sean (Website, Twitter)
Sean Nank, PhD, is an award-winning math educator and author. He has worked in various positions with the United States Department of Education, White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, National Science Foundation, and the California Department of Education. Sean currently serves on the Executive Board at the National Council of Supervisors of Mathematics (NCSM) and is the Associate Editor of their Journal of Mathematics Education Leadership (JMEL), and works at Amplify as a math content designer.

Show notes:

• Sean’s 2022 ShadowCon talk: “Mathematics saved my life”

Connect with us:

• Vanessa Vakharia: @themathguru (Insta, Twitter, TikTok)
• Math Therapy: @maththerapy (Twitter)

Today’s another one for the teachers, featuring Jon Orr & Kyle Pearce of the Make Math Moments empire - they have a podcast, a framework, workshops & courses & virtual summits galore, and who knows probably even a cooking show at this point?! They join Vanessa today to discuss the SHOCKING realization early in their career that not all students would be as excited about math as they were … which propelled them to adapt their teaching methods to fuel curiosity in kids so they don’t just get the right answers, but rather develop a true understanding of what they’re learning in class and beyond.

About Make Math Moments:
(Website, Podcast, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn)
Make Math Moments is on a mission to provide an opportunity for all mathematics educators around the world to access professional learning opportunities that will elevate their teaching practice and promote an equitable learning experience for all students.

Show notes:

• https://growyourmathprogram.com
• Jon Orr on Twitter
• Kyle Pearce on Twitter
• Vanessa’s episode on Make Math Moments podcast

Connect with us:

• Vanessa Vakharia: @themathguru (Insta, Twitter, TikTok)
• Math Therapy: @maththerapy (Twitter)

We’re often talking about trauma from the student perspective: how it happens in the classroom, and how it follows them into adulthood. But one group is often overlooked in this discussion - teachers! Today Vanessa chats with educator Brittany Hege about the challenges teachers often face in keeping up with changing pedagogies, while already being strapped for time and often struggling with math traumas of their own! This is an honest and heartfelt discussion about how education can evolve without leaving either students or teachers behind, how shame in the classroom can lead to anxiety for both, and how curiosity and community can lay the path to healing.

About Brittany (Website, Insta, YouTube, LinkedIn, Twitter)
Brittany Hege is a math educator who has worked with students and teachers in both upper elementary and middle grades. She holds a master's degree in Elementary Mathematics Education and is passionate about helping teachers grow their understanding of the math concepts they teach. Brittany believes in the power of experiencing math through hands-on work and uses her platform, Mix and Math, to equip upper elementary teachers with the knowledge and confidence to inspire a generation of empowered math learners.

Show notes:

• mixandmath.com/
• Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/c/MixandMath/about

Connect with us:

• Vanessa Vakharia: @themathguru (Insta, Twitter, TikTok)
• Math Therapy: @maththerapy (Twitter)

Of the truly infinite things Vanessa likes to rant about, few top the list like math’s marketing problem - which is why she was elated to chat with social media mathstar Howie Hua! Today Howie shares how his own experiences with math anxiety sucked the joy out of math when he was a student, and how he started to bring it back for both himself and his students when he became a teacher. He’s built a massive following on TikTok and beyond by sharing quick and fun explainer videos and math memes, and his enthusiasm for learning is a true delight - enjoy!

About Howie

Howie Hua is a math instructor at Fresno State teaching math to future elementary school teachers. He has built a large following online, sharing short teaching tips, memes, and math explainer videos on TikTok and other social media platforms in a mission to make math more fun and accessible to all.

Show notes:

• Howie’s website & linktree
• Howie on Twitter, TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube
• The birthday paradox

Connect with us:

• Vanessa Vakharia: @themathguru (Insta, Twitter, TikTok)
• Math Therapy: @maththerapy (Twitter)

When you picture a mathematician, what comes to mind? Now … what about a “mathematical explorer”? Well, that’s what Francis Su calls himself, and when Vanessa picked up his book Mathematics for Human Flourishing, she couldn’t put it down. On today's episode they explore how mathematical discovery can unleash the wonder and curiosity innate within us all. They also discuss some deep questions, like why do people have different emotional reactions to math compared to other fields? How can humans cultivate the virtues we'll need to keep AI in check? And why is change so hard, both in educational reform but also in our own lives?

About Francis
Francis Su is an award-winning professor and author who writes about the dignity of human beings and the wonder of mathematical teaching. The Benediktsson-Karwa Professor of Mathematics at Harvey Mudd College and a former president of the Mathematical Association of America, his work has been featured in Quanta Magazine, Wired, and the New York Times.

Show notes:

• francissu.com
• Francis on Twitter
• S5E02 w/ Deborah Peart, head of the "Mather" movement

Connect with us:

• Vanessa Vakharia: @themathguru (Insta, Twitter, TikTok)
• Math Therapy: @maththerapy (Twitter)

Longtime listeners (like today’s guest, as you’ll discover…) will recall one name popping up in almost every interview last season, so Vanessa needed to find out for herself: who is Zak Champagne & why do people like him so much?! Through today’s rollercoaster episode she discovered a teacher with boundless enthusiasm for the joys of teaching, grounded in a deep respect for his students.

They unpack what we really mean by terms like “student voice” and “building trust”, offer practical advice on how to actually integrate those ideas into the classroom when teachers are already so strapped for time, and discuss how giving students a sense of purpose and community doesn’t just help them learn - it could even save their lives.

About Zak

Zak Champagne began his career as an elementary school teacher in Jacksonville, Florida, receiving many state and national awards including the Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching (PAEMST). Zak then spent six years as a researcher at the Florida Center for Research in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (FCR-STEM) at FSU before serving as the Director of Teacher Leadership at the Jacksonville Public Education Fund. Zak returned to the classroom in the fall of 2019 as a Lower Elementary Teacher (grades 3 and 4), Director of Mathematics, and Director of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB) at The Discovery School.

Show notes:

• zakchamp.com/
• Zak Champagne on socials: Twitter
• Zak’s Blog: Control vs. trust in the classrom

Connect with us:

• Vanessa Vakharia: @themathguru (Insta, Twitter, TikTok)
• Math Therapy: @maththerapy (Twitter)

On the Season 6 premiere of Math Therapy, Vanessa chats with Dr. Pamela Seda, an expert in all things education and inspiration! They dive deep into hot topics like how teachers can build trust in the classroom by modelling vulnerability, the benefits of cultivating community over competition, and a fascinating metaphor that illustrates what equity and accommodations truly mean in our schools.

About Pam

Dr. Pamela Seda, Founder and CEO of Seda Educational Consulting, is the creator of the VANG Math Card Game and co-author of "Choosing to See: A Framework for Equity in the Math Classroom." Dr. Seda's career spans roles as a high school math teacher, instructional coach, college instructor, and district math supervisor. Dr. Seda is a prominent speaker on math equity, committed to transforming how marginalized students experience mathematics and advocates for mathematics instruction that develops all students as thinkers and problem-solvers.

Show notes:

• sedaeducationalconsulting.com/
• pamseda.com
• Dr. Pam Seda on socials: Insta, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn
• ICUCARE framework

Connect with us:

• Vanessa Vakharia: @themathguru (Insta, Twitter, TikTok)
• Math Therapy: @maththerapy (Twitter)

Season 6 drops March 28th - here’s a sample of who and what you’ll hear!

It's March 14th, aka 3.14 ... so Happy Pi Day! To help you get in the zone, we're re-airing an episode from last year recounting the Math Therapy team's Pi Day 2023 trip to Bellamy Creek Correctional Facility in Michigan. This stemmed from Vanessa's Season 3, Episode 10 interview with Christopher Havens, an inmate serving a 25-year sentence for murder who has rehabilitated himself with math and founded the Prison Mathematics Project.

Find out more about PMP at prisonmathproject.org where you can:

• donate
• volunteer as a mentor for an inmate
• sign up an inmate interested in the program

Connect with us:

• Vanessa Vakharia: @themathguru (Insta, Twitter, TikTok)
• Math Therapy: @maththerapy (Twitter)

The rumours are true! (The rumours that Vanessa has been spreading herself.) Season 6 of Math Therapy launches March 28th!

To get you hyped while we get this batch of episodes ready for you, here are some brief thoughts she recorded immediately after we finished a marathon 10 interviews over 4 days. What themes did she cover? Will she or her guests get cancelled this season? How much did she annoy her producer David? You be the judge ...

Make sure you're subscribed to the podcast feed, and tell a friend about Math Therapy!