We're Teaching MATH Backwards

https://is1-ssl.mzstatic.com/image/thumb/Podcasts221/v4/d9/66/ec/d966ecfc-c9f5-7cac-a174-4c92cfcfa370/mza_17290060575825900183.jpg/600x600bb.jpg

Tier 1 Interventions

Jonily Zupancic and Cheri Dotterer

71 episodes

6 days ago

Math intervention, writing intervention, neurobiology, and cognitive-based learning - Jonily Zupancic and Cheri Dotterer are sharing how to incorporate them into your classroom. Jonily is a secondary math teacher and instructional coach for math K-12. Cheri is an occupational therapist specializing in neurology-based treatment across the lifespan and a Strategy-based Interventionist. Jonily secretly calls Cheri her Lesson Plan Whisperer because Cheri is always in her head, reminding her of the foundations of development before academics begin. They met in 2018 and have been talking ever since. Together, they have discovered the Miracle Math Classroom. This classroom embeds all math standards from Kindergarten to twelfth grade, plus neuro-based interventions that improve proficiency and boost student engagement. Both gifted and learning support students thrive using the interventions they share, plus all students in between. Using cognitive enhancing techniques strategically placed in the lesson plan, students learn more and enjoy school more, and fewer students get removed from critical instruction for Tier Three Interventions. Jonily has discovered how to teach all Kindergarten through algebra math standards using twelve, that’s right, twelve Reference Tasks. They include the Pizza Problem, 120-Chart, Paper Folding, Making Rectangles, Quick Dots, Locker Problem, Jesse and Kay, Geoboard, Candy Problem, Paint Problem, Staircase, and the Function Machine. Cheri uses Body-Brain Anchors to ignite the flame inside everyone’s brain for learning. Whether a person is five or 90, her strategy-based interventions will ignite that flame. These Brain-Body Anchors include the Handstand Flip, Interlaced Bilateral Integration, and the Body Sentence Alphabet. Together, they connect the puzzle behind math instruction and instructional delivery alongside these cognitive-enhancing activities to maximize math education for all students. Join us live on the third Saturday of the month, sans July, for the math behind the Reference Task. Every live event is approximately 2.5 contact hours. The first 30-ish minutes become this podcast. To hear the entire training, join our membership program. Please note: we will not record on holiday weekends. Join our mailing list for updates on dates. To join us live, register at Tier1interventions.com. The 2.5-hour sessions include the PowerPoint slides, additional audio files of Jonily teaching the Reference Task, resources from Cheri, and much more. A subscription to these 2.5-hour Workshops is $97/month or $947/year. Membership includes: *Approximately 27.5 hours of direct training per year *Audio files of Jonily's Hear Me Teach segments - complete *PowerPoint Slides to grab and use in your Magic Math Classroom *Resources from Jonily and Cheri for you and your students *A copy of Math DYSconnected when released. Or, you can listen to the first segment on your favorite podcast app for free; no membership is required. No matter how you listen, you will come away with golden nuggets that will transform your classroom. Reach out to Jonily: jonily@mindsonmath.com Reach out to Cheri: info@cheridotterer.com Tier1Interventions.com

All content for Tier 1 Interventions is the property of Jonily Zupancic and Cheri Dotterer and is served directly from their servers with no modification, redirects, or rehosting. The podcast is not affiliated with or endorsed by Podjoint in any way.

We're Teaching MATH Backwards

Tier 1 Interventions

15 minutes

3 weeks ago

We're Teaching MATH Backwards

We’re teaching math backwards — and it’s one of the biggest reasons students struggle with understanding, retention, and confidence.

In this Tier 1 Interventions episode, Jonily Zupancic explains why traditional math instruction focuses too heavily on answers rather than thinking and how that sequencing mistake creates fragile learning.

When students can get correct answers but can’t explain their reasoning, transfer skills, or retain concepts, the issue isn’t effort or intelligence. It’s how math is being taught.

Using real classroom examples and student work, you’ll learn:

Why answer-getting doesn’t equal math mastery
How visual math structures (rectangles, arrays, diamond problems) support understanding
Why early algebra exposure should begin in elementary school
How Tier 1 math interventions can reduce frustration and build confidence
What it means to teach math for thinking, reasoning, and sense-making

This video is for:

Elementary and middle school teachers
Math interventionists and specialists
Homeschool parents
Educators supporting struggling or neurodivergent learners

👉 Want to see the full system in action?
You can experience one Mastery Math Method workshop for just $47 and walk step-by-step through the approach used in this video.

👉 Want to experience the full workshop?
You can sign up to experience one workshop for just $47. The link is here.

https://disabilitylabs.com/courses/mastery-math-method-group-coaching

⏱️ Chapters

00:00 – Why Math Isn’t Sticking

01:08 – What “Teaching Math Backwards” Really Means

02:40 – Why A’s Don’t Equal Mastery

04:12 – Answer-Getting vs Mathematical Thinking

06:05 – The Power of Structure in Math

08:10 – Rectangles, Arrays, and Visual Models

10:02 – Diamond Problems Explained

12:25 – Early Algebra Starts Sooner Than You Think

14:40 – Why Exposure Beats Memorization

17:05 – Teaching for Reasoning and Sense-Making

19:10 – What Tier 1 Math Interventions Should Look Like

21:30 – How to Fix Math Instruction Moving Forward

23:45 – Next Steps: Learn the Mastery Math Method

🎯 Ready to Change Math Outcomes in 10 Days?

👉 Join our FREE Masterclass for school leaders, teachers, and OTs:
https://disabilitylabs.com/calendar

🎧 Prefer to Listen On the Go?

Spotify
Apple Podcasts
Amazon/Audible

🔗 Stay Connected

🌐 Website: https://disabilitylabs.com/courses/mastery-math-bundle
📧 Disability Labs Community: https://disabilitylabs.com/community/3d-learning-lounge-1

🎙️ Credits:
Host: Cheri Dotterer
Co-Host: Jonily Zupancic
Production: Disability Labs Podcast Network

🧠 Resources Mentioned:

Mastery Math Method Level One (Lifetime Access): https://disabilitylabs.com/courses/mastery-math-bundle
Mastery Math Method Level Two (Annual Subscription): https://disabilitylabs.com/courses/mastery-math-method-group-coaching

⚠️ Disclaimer: The content shared in this video is for educational purposes only and does not replace your district’s policies or individualized education plans. Always consult with your instructional team before implementing new strategies.

Keywords

teaching math backwards

math mastery vs memorization

Tier 1 math interventions

math intervention strategies

why students struggle in math

visual math models

early algebra instruction

math sense making

elementary math teaching strategies

math for neurodivergent learners

🏷️ Hashtags

#MathIsMessy #Tier1Interventions #MasteryMathMethod #BrainBasedLearning #REWIREMethod #OTinSchools #TeacherMindset

Tier 1 Interventions