Developing a Learner-Centered Teaching Routine

This paper shares my story of developing, from Fall 2022 to Spring 2025, a learner-centered teaching routine for my undergraduate mathematics courses. I use four steps: an opening question, a short mini lecture about meaning, structured small group work, and a short end-of-class exit check, at times supported by quick visuals in Mathematica and, when useful, Python. Instead of relying on extended traditional lectures, the routine emphasizes collaborative problem solving and invites students to articulate and check their reasoning together. I used this routine mainly in my elementary statistics classes, but also in calculus and linear algebra. The evidence I share is local and practical: based on my notes, one-minute exit checks, informal student comments and surveys, and conference feedback, I saw, across courses, less passive lecturing, more visible participation, and students explaining their reasoning during the closing time. At the end I outline next steps for refining the routine and its classroom visuals. I offer this paper as a record of my simple routine so that other instructors can adapt similar techniques for their own classes.