178 Should Honors Math Be Different? Here's What I'm Wrestling With

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What I'm Still Figuring Out About Teaching Honors Math

After more than 15 years in the classroom, I'm about to do something new:

Teach Honors Algebra 2 and Grade-Level Algebra 2 at the same time.

And honestly?

I'm still figuring out what that should look like.

In this episode, I'm sharing the questions I've been wrestling with as I prepare for next year—from rigor and procedural fluency to pacing, grading, and what should actually be different in an honors classroom.

Because I don't think honors students need more work.

I think they need meaningful opportunities to think more deeply.

💡 In This Episode:

• What I'm excited (and nervous) about as I prepare to teach honors math
• Why rigor and volume are not the same thing
• The procedural skills I'm reconsidering for honors students
• How I'm thinking about pacing within the IM curriculum
• Questions I have about grading, mastery, and accountability
• Why "more work" isn't the same as "more challenge"

✨ Key Takeaways

✨ Honors students deserve deeper thinking—not just more assignments

✨ High expectations and strong support should exist in every math classroom

✨ Procedural fluency may matter differently for students on advanced math pathways

✨ Some of the best professional growth comes from asking better questions

✨ Being an experienced teacher doesn't mean you stop learning

📥 FREE GUIDE: Project or Practice?

Want help deciding when to use projects, performance tasks, or practice in your math classroom?

👉 Grab the free guide:
https://moorethanjustx.myflodesk.com/practice

📘 JULY BOOK STUDY: Math Therapy

This July, we'll be reading Math Therapy together and discussing:

• math identity
• confidence
• productive struggle
• student mindset
• emotional experiences in mathematics

Grab your copy and read along with us:

📖 Physical Book:
https://amzn.to/42VJRl6

🎧 Audiobook:
https://amzn.to/49nV55D

🌊 Poolside PD Reflection

If you teach honors students, what should be different—and what should stay exactly the same?

And if you don't teach honors?

How do you challenge students without simply giving them more work?

🎧 What's Next

Next up, we're wrapping up our June Poolside PD series by talking about productive struggle, rigor, and how to support students without rescuing them.

Until next time, keep it real.

This podcast is a member of the Teach Better Podcast Network. Better Today. Better Tomorrow. And the Podcasts to Help You Get There.

Connect with Kristen:

• Follow on Instagram @moorethanjustx
• Join the Facebook Community: The Modern Math Teachers Movement

More About the Modern Math Teacher Podcast

Kristen Moore, classroom teacher and instructional coach at Moore Than Just X, empowers modern secondary math teachers to transform the student experience with the strategies and the confidence to implement project-based learning, mastery-based assessment, and student engagement strategies in their classrooms.

Whether you're a math education newbie or a seasoned veteran, you'll find something new and inspiring in every episode. You’re already a listener, why not join the Movement inside ✨The Modern Math Teachers Movement Facebook group. Join the community of math teachers who are not afraid to shake things up and make math class the best part of the day for our students. So tune in each Tuesday, have some fun, and let's elevate our math teaching game together!

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