Mailbag - reading your texts

Vanessa Vakharia 0:03

Oh my God, guys. Hello, and welcome to another episode of Math Therapy. It is now summer for all of us. We've all caught up to one another. We're all on summer break, which means it feels like the vibe is writing letters home from camp. You know what I mean? I mean, that's a stretch. This is my fancy way of saying we are gonna do another mailbag episode today. Our last mailbag episode was in April, and I loved it so much because I'm always telling you guys to text the podcast, and then you do, and I'm like, "Oh my God, I need to share the incredible stuff you guys are texting." So we're doing another one today because so many texts have come in since April. So it's time. Now, I also have to say, like 100 of the texts we got last month were texts to enter the TI giveaway, so we won't be reading any of those out. But a lot of the texts of you guys entering the giveaway, I mean, a lot of you said some nice things like you were longtime listeners, you discovered the episode because of the Texas Instruments giveaway and loved it, which is so cool, so welcome to our new audience. And most commonly, everyone is obsessed with the calculator plushy and would do anything to get one. Now- I know what this feels like, okay? Because the thing with Texas Instruments is they do this thing where they, like, release, like, merch that you can't buy, and they do a really good job. This is honestly part of the reason I'm obsessed with them, because you guys know I'm all about, like, making math fun and cool, and, like, I think very few companies actually do that, but Texas Instruments has always done that. I remember one year they released this, like, it was like a floaty for a swimming pool. It was like a giant calculator you could, like, float on. I wanted one so badly, but they wouldn't... Like, I couldn't even enter the giveaway 'cause they wouldn't ship to Canada at the time. Then you guys know the Texas Instruments Christmas sweater, right? Like, oh my God, I wanted that thing for years. Then I finally had, like, someone who, like, worked as an influencer with Texas Instruments on the podcast, and I was like, "Listen, you need to tell me how to get one of these sweaters." And she was like, "Oh my God. I really, like, don't know how." But I was like, "Okay, this is my official call-out." And I guess Texas Instruments listened because I finally got that sweater in 2021, and it was my most favorite thing ever. Anyways, I don't know why I'm still talking about this. My point is that now there are these plushies, and you can only get the plushy if you win the giveaway. Like, you can't buy them, and actually, I really don't know why. I'm gonna ask them. Like, why? What's the reason? Like, people want them. The fans want the plushies. Anyways, all that being said, we will be doing another giveaway for the Oh My Math box next month, so in July on the podcast. Maybe it's July when you're listening to this. I actually don't know when this episode is coming out. Okay, whatever. We're doing another giveaway, so maybe you'll win a plushy. Okay, I should not have talked about that for that long. Okay, anyways, the point is it is so nice to hear from you guys. Honestly, with podcasts, you never know who's listening, so it's really nice to know it's actual people and to hear, like, how many different people the pod is reaching, so thank you for being here. So let's get, let's get straight to your texts. I mean, I've now been talking for five minutes about a plushy calculator, so whatever. Now, I know it's super clickbaity, but the best one is at the end. I am saving the best for last. I am, I am. They're all great, but the best one is at the end. So that might sound clickbaity, but it's true, so listen to the whole thing 'cause I promise it will be worth it.

1) people really are listening!

Vanessa Vakharia 3:21

Okay, the first text is from Northbrook, Illinois, who actually sent this back in December, which is appropriate for me to read now because I'm seriously in major Christmas withdrawal. And that is neither here nor there, but it reminds me that Allison Mello's Get Your Workshop On conference is happening at the beginning of August. I am one of the keynotes, and the theme is "Christmas in Summer". Like, everything is going to be Christmas-themed. All the sessions are Christmas-themed, like the decor, the snacks. Anyways, you can still register if you wanna come. It is in Massachusetts at Gillette Stadium. That's right, it's at Gillette Stadium. Okay, anyways, okay, sorry, focus, focus, focus. Here is the text: "Hi, Vanessa and crew. I am a special education teacher who works as a math specialist in a therapeutic day school. I love your whole deal, your professional development, going to one in April, your podcast, your mission, your swag, I got a sweatshirt, et cetera. I have noticed all the math trauma for years, and I've been teaching for a while, and I'm so glad you're calling it out. And my birthday is Pi Day. Sending you a message because you asked who listens. I do." That is so-- Okay, well, now, hold on a second. I feel like I'm not even connecting the dots, 'cause whoever you are from Northbrook, you said you were going to a PD in April. Which one did you go to? Did you say hi? Did you tell me about this text? I don't think you did. So hello, hi, welcome. This is so awesome, and I just love the idea of a therapeutic day school. I love the entire thing because, you know, part of why I wrote Math Therapy is therapy gets such a bad rep, right? You know, we think it's like this whole big thing, when really, as teachers, we're healers. We're using therapeutic strategies every day, right? We are working on the mental and the emotional simultaneously. We're doing that, you know? And so I love that you are working at a school that focuses in on it. I'd love to actually hear more about that, if you wanna throw me another text. Um, and I just wanna say thank you to you and everyone who's doing this, this work, you know? Everyone who is noticing the math trauma, working on healing, recognizing there's a need for more than the cognitive. You guys are amazing. Thank you so much for listening, and thank you for this text.

2) Hello from the Prairies

Vanessa Vakharia 5:24

Next, we have a text from the Canadian prairies which reads, "Thanks for making this podcast. Made me take stock of how I define success and how I wanted to change it for my future classroom. Keep up the great podcasting, Vanessa. I hear you might be touring in Regina, Saskatchewan. Is this true?" Okay. Well, first of all, I love that, honestly, and I'm so glad that it landed with you, and I actually went to Saskatoon to keynote a conference in April, and this is making me wonder if the last text, if that person went to that conference. But no, they didn't, because I don't think someone from Northbrook, Illinois, is going to PD in Saskatoon. That being said, I am not touring in Regina, but for all of you listening who I met in Saskatoon in April, my band is playing our first show ever in Saskatoon. We're flying to Saskatoon July 1st, and we are p- which is Canada Day, everyone, and we are playing a show at The Green Room in Saskatoon on July 2nd. You guys should come. Tickets are available now. Go get them. And then we are headlining a festival in Potato Lake, Saskatchewan, on July 4th. It's called Napatak Ramble. So promo for my band and answering your question at the same time, so it's not that shameless. Okay, next

3) Prison Mathematics Project connection

Vanessa Vakharia 6:41

is an exchange we had with Amy Jones from Fairfield, Connecticut, who gave us permission to read this out, and guys, I, I'm so excited to read this. She texted us after listening to my brief episode where I shared a message I received from Timothy Jones, who is an inmate that works with the Prison Mathematics Project, or PMP. We'll link to that episode in the show notes if you missed it because you, uh, honestly, you have to listen to it and, like Okay, let me read, let me read Amy's text. "Thank you for sharing your text with the inmate who is part of the PMP. I was so inspired by the conversation that I reached out to them, and now I'm going to be a mentor to an inmate who wants to participate in the project. Thank you for all you do and share. You have no idea how much you are helping me be a better teacher and math person." Oh my God, I'm tearing up. "Also, I spoke to my dad today about this, and he's looking to become a mentor as well. He's a retired high school math teacher. He was so excited." Okay, ah. Okay, actually, I'm getting really emotional. Um, yeah, I, uh, so for those of you who don't know, the Prison Mathematics Project and I have kind of a bit of a long relationship because, uh, I, like, I, I, you know, if you've been listening, you've probably heard this story many s- story so many times. But a long time ago, I interviewed Christopher Havens, who is an inmate who is still in there serving, and he started the Prison Mathematics Project to help other inmates rehabilitate with mathematics, and it has grown. They're in prisons all across North America, they are changing so many people's lives. And me and the Math Therapy team actually went to Michigan to Bellamy Correctional Institute on Pi Day a few years ago to do math with inmates there, and it was so- such an incredible experience. So it's just so incredible to see that, like to just see what we can all do as a collective, you know, when we're, when we're just, like, looking to help one another out. And I think it really just shows, like, Math Therapy is about the healing that happens through math, right? Like, I always say math is this gateway. Yes, it's about the math. We want kids to learn math, but we want them to learn what they're capable of through the math. I want all of you listening to this podcast, who have your own anxiety around math, to learn what you're capable of through continuing to persevere with math, you know? To continue to explore what math is bringing up for you. So I just think it is so beautiful to read this. Amy, that is so cool about you and your dad. Please keep us posted. We wanna know everything that happens. Um, ugh, this just makes me so happy, and I continue to work with the PMP now. You know, our, this is something you guys should know that's so cool, is Math Therapy is available on tablets in all American prisons. So inmates have free access to listening to Math Therapy. So many of them listen weekly, like Timothy Jones, which is so cool, and Timothy Jones himself, he's starting a Math Therapy group at his correctional facility for a bunch of the inmates there who will be working through Math Therapy with him. This is just really cool. So thank you so much. Thank you. They really do need help. They need, like, assistance funding. It's all volunteer-run. It's run by inmates and o- and other folks, so, like, I say that in the sense that they don't have much access to the things that those who are not inmates do. So if you wanna help, text me or reach out to the Prison Mathematics Project. That's actually the best thing to do. And again, just hit the link in the show notes, and everything's there.

4) Chaotic energy of Math Therapy

Vanessa Vakharia 10:05

Okay. Next is actually a very simple one we received from Riverside, California, in response to the episode in which I had a full meltdown real time. You guys might remember that. The text simply reads, oh my God. The text reads, "Beautiful, chaotic energy in this week's episode." Now, if I hadn't told you what the episode was in response to, you probably would have thought it could be literally any episode of this podcast. But I will just take the compliment and move on because David told me to.

5) The Legend of Sister Beth!

Vanessa Vakharia 10:36

And now finally, this is it. This is the one, this is the one I clickbait led to. This one is about the legend of Sister Beth. And now for those of you who actually believed me at the start and decided to listen to this whole thing, it, y- like, you're gonna see why. The last time we did a mailbag episode, we shared a text, and I'm just going to read a bit of it again to refresh your memory. Okay, because I read a text then, and that led to a series of events that take us to right now. So here's the text I'm really hoping to get a signed Math Therapy book for my son's teacher who is that math te"- oh my God, I'm crying again. Okay, let me start again. "I am really hoping to get a signed Math Therapy book for my son's teacher who is that math teacher for our whole family. She has completely turned my son's and my attitude around. Last year, we dreaded math. We argued. I complained. You could feel the tension whenever there was a math test. In retrospect, I put so much pressure on this one class. This year, math is my son's favorite subject, and we work together to figure it out. We both talk about how far we both have come and can laugh at the drama of third-grade math. It has gone from impossible to figureoutable because of Sister Beth. Yep, the amazing math teacher who introduced me to your book and podcast is a nun. Thank you for everything you do, and if there's any way to get a signed book for Sister Beth, that would be amazing." Okay, so here... Oh, guys, why am I so teary during this episode? I think it's just, like, hearing from you guys and Okay, anyways, fine. This is about Sister Beth. This is not about me. So I get this text, and you guys might not know this, but in the early days, as in, like, you know, three months ago, when the texting feature was introduced, we would get a text, but we were unable to respond. So if the per- if you guys sent us a text and you didn't put your contact info or your name, there was no way for us to get ahold of you. So this person sends this text, and I'm like, I don't know who this is. I don't know who Sister Beth is, and I can't write back to be like, 'Sure, yeah, send me her address.'" So obviously, I go straight to Google, and I try my best to find her. But I can't. I'm like, Sister Beth math, like, Sister Beth, Georgia, math. Like, I, I couldn't find her anyway, and I'm pretty good at that stuff, but I really couldn't. So I decided to read the text out loud in our last mailbag episode, and the podcast delivered. So here's what happens. First, we hear from Sister Mary Margaret in San Antonio, Texas, who writes this: "Hi there. I am Sister Mary Margaret, and I'm in the same community as Sister Beth. I also taught math for several years, SAT, ACT prep and such. Sister Beth is a real hoot." I hope you get to meet her in person someday if you're ever in Atlanta, and if you ever come to the great state of Texas, look me up. Sister Beth is going to treasure that signed book, and I'll say a little prayer for you, too." Okay, like, how sweet is that? And I will definitely be looking up Sister Mary Margaret next time I'm in Texas because she sounds like a hoot as well, I'll be honest. But it turns out we didn't need help because the next text we got was from the legend herself, Sister Beth, who simply said, "I'm Sister Beth, and I would love a signed copy of the book." Can you guys believe? Like, I d- like, it was my own personal Sleepless in Seattle, right? Like, it was like old school radio show connecting people from across the globe, and then they finally, like, the book finally lands on her doorstep and now, now by the way, by the time she wrote me that text, we now have the ability to text back. So, like, I got her info, I sent her a book, and it got there. So I think you guys know that the obvious next step in this journey is to get Sister Beth on the podcast. So I'm manifesting it. I'm throwing it out into the ether. Let's see what happens. All right, so, whew.

6) 6 x 7 = 42

Vanessa Vakharia 14:22

I know I said Sister Beth would be the last one, but David insisted I include a bonus text that we received on January 5th from Naples, Florida, that read very simply, "Six times seven equals 42." And there really is not much more to say about that, I guess.

Thank you - and text us!

Vanessa Vakharia 14:39

All right, well, that's a wrap on this mailbag episode. I lo- I mean, I love doing these so much. I love doing these so much 'cause I have to be honest, sometimes when I do solo episodes, I'm like, "Oh, my God, I feel weird just talking and monologuing at you guys." Like, I, I understand that's what a podcast is for, and David tells me I'm being, like, completely ridiculous, but, like, I do love the interactions and the conversations, and I love hearing from other people because I feel like you guys have so much wisdom to share that I wanna share that. You know what I mean? And I feel like so much about Math Therapy and about teaching math and about education and about healing together, it is a collective. We are co-creating the experience, so I just, I love when we get to co-create. Guys, thank you so much for writing in. It means so much to me, and it's so validating to both David and I that people actually listen and really engage with these episodes. Like, it means everything, and even if you haven't texted us but you just listen once or, you know, you listen every week, thank you. And if you ever feel inspired to send us a message about your own work in healing math trauma or how an episode has changed your life or touched you in some way or meant something or you sent it to someone else and whatever, that link to text us is always right there in the episode description in your podcast player. I think it says, "Send us a text," and you just click it. Before I sign off, I just wanted to remind you that we have that Facebook group, and we would love you to join. We're almost at 500 members, which is crazy 'cause we only started it a couple of months ago. You can just head to Facebook, type in Math Therapy, join the group, and there's lots of cool stuff in there. It's not, like, too crazy, but it's a great place for community and collaboration and just, you know, talking Math Therapy. I know it's summer, and everyone kinda has different schedules, so I'm gonna be doing probably a lot of solo episodes this summer just because I'm touring with my band. We're playing 10 shows across Canada, so I'm gonna be traveling a lot for music stuff, and I'm doing a ton of conferences as well, so I'll be on the road a lot, which makes it a little harder to interview people. Although, you know what? Anytime you see me, I will have my mic on me. So if you run into me, I just might interview you for the podcast. Who knows? Watch out. But for real, I'm gonna be doing a lot more, like, solo stuff, so that's why I'm actually putting a little call out to you guys. If you want me to do an episode on something, you're like, "You know what? I really want you to talk about this or that or the other," text me that, because I'm always looking for ideas of, like, what can I give to the community? Like, what are you guys looking for? So I would love to hear from you on that. As always, you can find me on Instagram @themathguru. I am very active on there. My screen time app says I'm too active on there, but you can find me there anytime. And you know, that's it. Go enjoy the summer sun wherever you are, and I'll see you next week, same time, same place, same channel. Peace, love, pi. Text me Northbrook, Illinois? No, you wouldn't have come to Saskatoon. Okay, sorry, guys. Sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry. I'm gonna start again, David. Okay, let me start again. Let me start again