July 8th: Excellent Instruction in Math

Facilitator Biographies

Carmen Pierre Canel | Lynch Leadership Academy

Carmen Pierre Canel will be joining the LLA Team in July 2021. Carmen has consistently worked to ensure every adult and student in schools where she has led engages in dynamic learning experiences that allow them to develop as critical thinkers and become self reflective in order to make our communities better places for all. Before joining the LLA Team, Carmen served as the Middle School Principal at APR Charter School in Hyde Park, MA for three years where she led the school community in the pursuit of becoming an anti-racist organization. Prior to that, Carmen spent ten years working in several Boston Public Schools as a Principal, Principal Fellow, Director of Instruction, Teacher Leader and HS Math Teacher. Additionally, Carmen participated in LLA as a member of Cohort V.

Carmen earned an M.Ed. in Secondary Education from Boston College as a Donovan Urban Teaching Scholar and a B.S. in Mathematics from Hampton University.

Shigehito Tanaka | Lowell Public Schools

Shige was born and raised in Tokyo, Japan. He came to the States when he was 20 years old and received an undergraduate degree from Fitchburg State College. He completed a Master of Mathematics in Teaching at Boston University. He has taught in Randolph, Chelsea, Lowell, and Lawrence as a teacher, mathematics department head, and as School Director of Mathematics at Lawrence High School. He worked for two years as Principal at Longsjo Middle School in the Fitchburg Public Schools District. He has been an educator for 18 years. Shige was a member of LLA Cohort VIII.

Read the following:

1. Math for Human Flourishing Read Chapter 1

2. Read NCTM Principles to Actions page 1-57 (Skim illustrations in each section), 59-108 (just read the tables on “Beliefs”), 112-117

3. Read: Eight Guiding Principles for Mathematics Program in Massachusetts (Page 14 and 15)

Bring or have access to a math unit plan and accompanying materials for any grade level.

Respond to the following Reflection Questions based on the readings:

1. What is communicated in this pre-work that is similar or different from how you have experienced math instruction and how your school thinks about excellent math instruction?

2. How do you understand building procedural fluency from conceptual understanding? What does this look like?

3. Which of the Eight Guiding Principles for Mathematics Program in Massachusetts (on pdf pages 14 and 15) feel like areas of growth for your school community? What is your analysis of this?

4. Why is elevating your own professional learning of the intersections of mathematics education and social justice important now more than ever?