There’s something about bright mornings and bright shirts that get me reflecting on why I’m still here, 26 years later, searching for better ways to reach my math students—especially now, as gaps are getting bigger, not smaller. This morning, wearing my “summer-like” yellow blouse, I logged on to connect with fellow educators. I did my usual mic check (you know I’ve had peculiar tech issues before!), settled in, and thought about the weight of what we’re up against: dwindling public education funding, less quality training, and an abundance of scripted curriculum that misses the mark for so many of our learners.

It’s personal for me. I’m a proud mom, a dog lover, and a teacher who’s spent decades working with underserved kids who deserve more. Whether through my blog, YouTube channel, or my Math Intervention Academy, my mission remains unchanged: to close learning gaps and provide real, actionable strategies that work in the classroom, not just in theory.

Let me walk you through what I’ve learned about effective lesson planning for math intervention. If you want to free up your time, focus on what matters, and actually see kids move forward, keep reading.

Demystifying Math Intervention: Beyond Remediation

Let’s set the record straight. Math intervention is not just remediation—at least, not the way many people think. Yes, we address content students haven’t mastered, but real intervention is about meeting students where they are—not where the curriculum says they should be. It’s about quickly and intentionally closing gaps, not dragging kids through endless do-overs of lessons that didn’t work the first time.

Here’s the first ah-ha: intervention isn’t about grade levels. Your anchor should be student data. If a fourth grader needs second-grade support in a certain area, that’s what you give them—then you scaffold right back to grade-level content. Intervention should be fast, focused, and powered by ongoing data.

The Power of Strong Tier 1 Instruction

Let’s be honest—most classroom struggles are rooted in gaps in Tier 1 instruction. High-quality, on-grade-level teaching—with strong conceptual and procedural foundations—has to come first. As a teacher, your first line of defense is to ensure Tier 1 isn’t just covering the standards, but actually connecting to every learner.

What does that mean in practice?

• Core curriculum matters: Start with the grade-level content, not below. Scaffolds are supports, not crutches.
• Conceptual and procedural understanding: Students must understand why math works (conceptual) and how to do it (procedural). If a student can’t add, subtract, multiply, or divide with fluency, it will block them at every stage.
• Differentiation is necessary: Use Universal Design for Learning to build in support. Differentiation doesn’t lower the bar—it opens the door.
• Student engagement: Structure is your friend. Post-pandemic, students need routines more than ever. Don’t be afraid to teach “how to do school.”
• Ongoing assessment: Formative, not just summative! Check in on learning in real time and adjust before small problems become big ones.

My Math Intervention Cycle: Efficient, Targeted, and Data-Driven

Let me pull back the curtain on my process. Over the years, none of the canned RTI trainings told me what effective intervention should actually look like, so I created my own system, grounded in the key elements of Response to Intervention.

Here’s the cycle:

1. Universal Screening/Baseline Data: Get assessment data on every student, at the start of the year and at key checkpoints. No data? Find a way—especially if you’re in a rural or under-resourced setting.
2. Diagnose, Don’t Just Identify: Treat your data like a doctor. Where are the breakdowns? Which standards are core to future learning?
3. Plan Focused Reteach: Target one concept at a time, not a whole curriculum. For most struggling students, the big issues are always number and operations: addition, subtraction, multiplication, division. Fix those, and growth cascades into other strands.
4. Reteach Using Tier 1 as Your Foundation: Think of strong instruction as a filter—kids who still “get stuck” after great teaching need and deserve intervention.
5. Progress Monitor with Purpose: Use quick performance tasks, not test prep busywork. You want to see true mastery, not test-savviness. When a student meets the standard, move them forward—don’t keep them in intervention for the sake of it.

One important note: Don’t let administrators push you to “follow the teacher.” Math intervention must follow student data. The real measure of success is when your intervention students start to catch up—and you can see it in both their work and their confidence.

The Tools I Use: Binders, Mastery Checks, and the Right Resources

If you’ve seen my YouTube walkthrough, you know I keep a Math Intervention Binder with:

• Weekly intervention planners
• Data summary sheets and analysis
• Lists of reteach standards and focus students
• Groupings and progress monitoring records

Keep it simple! You’re working smarter, not harder. Intervention content should spiral directly from Tier 1 instruction—not a stack of random worksheets.

Mastery checks are my go-to tool for formative assessment. For most key concepts, a quick hands-on task tells me far more than a worksheet ever could. For example, if I need to know who’s ready for regrouping, I ask for a demonstration, not a fill-in-the-blank. If a student can’t perform the skill conceptually, they’re not ready to move on.

And let’s talk tech—don’t feel like high-priced math platforms are required. Most are clunky, and very few deliver meaningful instructional gains. You, your data, and your creative planning are still the best intervention program available.

Common Misconceptions and How To Address Them

Every math concept comes with its own pitfalls. Know them in advance! If you can anticipate why students miss out on area versus perimeter before you teach, you can design your instruction to avoid those traps and save yourself time in intervention.

Here’s what I recommend: For every skill or standard you plan to intervene on, jot down 2-3 misconceptions (e.g., confusing area with perimeter, misplacing decimals, over-reliance on tricks rather than understanding). Address them head-on in both Tier 1 and your intervention group

Join A Community Dedicated to Real Solutions

If you’re tired of spinning your wheels and want practical support, I invite you to check out my Gap Closers membership or the Math Intervention Academy. They’re both designed by a veteran teacher who’s been “in the trenches” and has seen firsthand what works. Whether you’re looking for blog posts, videos, lesson plans, or just some encouragement, my free resource library is open for you.

Let’s make intervention effective, simple, and transformative—together. Check out some of my resources here or explore my digital products and courses for deeper support.