In this episode, I’m joined by my friend and returning guest, Mona from @HelloMonaMath and the Math Chat podcast! If you’ve ever felt unsure about how to actually teach word problems - especially in early childhood -  you are going to love this conversation.

Mona shares her 5-step routine for solving word problems, and trust me, this is the kind of structure that will change how you think about math time. We talk about what this looks like in real-life kindergarten classrooms, how to support kids during productive struggle, how to use sharing time intentionally (without needing to feature every student every time), and why routine and mindset are everything.

In this episode I share:

• Why word problems don’t have to be scary—for you or your students
• How to build student independence and confidence in math
• The balance between giving support vs. giving away the answer
• Why it’s okay if not every child finishes the problem (really!)
• How to use discussion and reflection to deepen understanding

Previous Episode with Mona:

• Loving Teaching While Using New Curriculum ~ Ep. 29

Previous Episode on Mona’s Podcast:

• 44: Decomposing Numbers in 4 Simple Steps with Zeba

Video Mentioned w/Mona:

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Ph2NCOiDNU

Connect with Mona:

• Instagram - @hellomonamath
• Website - MonaMath.com
• Podcast - Math Chat Podcast
• Book -  Word Problem Workshop

Connect with Zeba:

• Instagram - @kindergartencafe
• Facebook - @kindergartencafe
• Website - www.kindergartencafe.org
• Tik Tok - @kindergartencafe

Mentioned in this episode:

Caring Critters Books

Felipe the Feeling Frog: https://www.kindergartencafe.org/felipe/
Trixie the Thoughtful Turtle: https://www.kindergartencafe.org/trixie/