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Podcast Episode

Fluency & Flexibility aren't the math F-bombs you think they are w/ Christina Tondevold

Math Therapy··6 August 2026·51 min

About this episode

Send us a text! (US messaging rates apply)One of the most misunderstood words in math ed right now is "fluency", so Vanessa invited an expert on the podcast to demystify it: educator Christina Tondevold.  Christina calls herself a "recovering traditionalist" - she committed to stop teaching students in the same ineffective ways she was taught as a student.They discuss a ton of practical strategies you can bring to your classroom, such as:showing students how connected math is (in class and in their lives)building fluency on 3 balanced pillars: efficiency, accuracy, and flexibilityteaching students to learn math by teaching them to be problem solversIf you enjoy this conversation, sign up for Christina's free 3-day virtual summit August 10-12, 2026 featuring Vanessa and a ton of other incredible speakers!Register here for the FREE "Build Math Minds Thinking Summit"About Christina: (Website)Christina Tondevold is a Recovering Traditionalist - she previously taught mathematics traditionally and expected the students to parrot back what she taught them.  Now she gets to work with teachers in developing students’ mathematical understandings in a balanced way by developing conceptual understanding while working on procedural fluency through her site BuildMathMinds.com where you can get PD at Your Fingertips.Contact us:Vanessa Vakharia: Instagram, TikTok, EmailMath Therapy: Text the PodcastMore Math Therapy:Get the book: Corwin, AmazonAudiobook: Audible, SpotifyMerch store: Shop here