Program Manager's Message:

Welcome to August! What a busy and exciting summer it's been! Your PM and TLCs are excited to announce our plans for this year very soon.

Upcoming Professional Development

Collaboration Meetings

Do you want to network with other math teachers across the state? What about an opportunity to share questions you have for KSDE? Do you want to brainstorm ideas on implementing effective teaching practices? Then join our monthly collaboration meetings.

Successes Around the State

Building Thinking Classrooms in Mathematics Summer 2022 Workshop

Math teachers across the state of Kansas explored Building Thinking Classrooms last summer. In this workshop, participants experienced some of practices that emerged from over 15 years of research into how teachers can transform their classrooms from a space where students mimic to where students think. The practices discussed intertwined with, and made extensive references to, the recently published book, Building Thinking Classrooms in Mathematics (Grades K-12): 14 Teaching Practices for Enhancing Learning.

Kansas is building thinking classrooms in mathematics!

2022 KSDE Summer Academy

Kansan teachers gathered together to network, learn, and collaborate. It was indeed a successful event! Math teachers revisited the effective teaching practices and learned about the Five Practices for Orchestrating Productive Discussions. Check out some highlights! #KansasCan

Building Thinking Classrooms in Mathematics Collaboration and Practice Sharing

The KSDE Math Teacher Leader Team is extremely excited to hold Building Thinking Classrooms (BTC) collaboration and practices sharing throughout the school year. This is a great opportunity to share learnings from the book, implementation experiences, tips, tricks, etc. Let us grow together and collectively build thinking classrooms in Kansas. Registration coming soon.


In the meantime, you may read the Introduction and Chapters 1-3 of the book. You may also check out these resources below:

Theme: The Art of Teaching

October 19-21, Wichita at the Hyatt Regency and Century II Convention Center

Teaching is an art. It takes skill that not everyone possesses. It also requires a holistic mindset and commitment to the betterment of others, most notably students. The art of teaching is not confined to the classroom teacher. Effective, impactful teaching involves the “art” of not only the classroom or subject teacher, but also the administrator, counselor, para-professional, etc... The 2022 conference is focused on highlighting this “art” practiced by all, regardless of their role in schools, who are committed to the success of each student in Kansas.

Strands being planned for this conference include:

  • Early Learning

  • Accreditation – Process and Results

  • Standards, Competencies, and Assessment

  • Whole Community, Whole School, Whole Child

  • Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

  • School Finance, Effective Leadership, Building Staff/Team

  • Teacher Retention & Recruitment

Registration includes breakfasts, lunches, and refreshments.


Join educators for the 13th annual Kansas MTSS Symposium! The Kansas MTSS Symposium focuses on evidence-based practices which MTSS is built upon along with the leadership and systems that support sustained implementation. At the Kansas MTSS Symposium, you will get to participate in many offered breakout sessions with national experts and hear from Kansas schools highlighting their work and successes with MTSS. This year the symposium is at a limited capacity.


The registration fee to attend the Symposium on September 7 and September 8 is $300.00.

Math Teaching Tools & Practices

Mathematical Discourse

"Effective discourse happens when students articulate their own ideas and seriously consider their peers’ mathematical perspectives as a way to construct mathematical understandings. Encouraging students to construct their own mathematical understanding through discourse is an effective way to teach mathematics, especially since the role of the teacher has transformed from being a transmitter of knowledge to one who presents worthwhile and engaging mathematical tasks."

Talking Math: How to Engage Students in Mathematical Discourse

The importance of engaging students in meaningful mathematical discussion has long been identified as an essential component of students’ mathematics learning.

When students share and exchange their ideas, both they and their teachers benefit.

100 Questions that Promote Mathematical Discourse

Help students work together to make sense of mathematics.

Elementary Tools & Practices
Click the arrow on the right to access information for elementary teachers and classrooms.

Rules that Expire in Elementary Math Classroom

"Overgeneralizing commonly accepted strategies, using imprecise vocabulary, and relying on tips and tricks that do not promote conceptual understanding can lead to misunderstanding late in students' math careers." -Karp, Bush, Dougherty

Here are the 13 Rules that Expires in Elementary Math Classrooms.

Greg Tang Math

Tang Math provides many resources: books, games, problem generators etc. Greg Tang works with some of the highest performing and most improving schools and districts in the country. He is the NY Times best-selling author of The Grapes of Math, gold medal eBook Math Appeal, and 6 other books from Scholastic.

Mathematics Vocabulary Cards

Mathematics Vocabulary Cards contains math vocabulary cards for Kindergarten through 8th Grade and Secondary 1 Mathematics. These cards can also be found in Spanish, Chinese, and French under the Dual Immersion menu. Portuguese, German, and Russian vocabulary cards are located at the following website: USOE Dual Immersion Vocabulary Cards

Inside Mathematics

The Inside Mathematics Problem Solving problems are non-routine math problems designed to promote problem-solving in your classroom. Each problem is divided into five levels of difficulty to allow access and scaffolding for students into different aspects of the problem and to stretch students to go deeper into mathematics complexity.

Slides and Jamboard Template

Have you seen Mrs. Park Shine's freebies? Run and check out her amazing slides and Jamboard templates.

K-5 Math

K-5 Math great site that contains K-5 teaching resources. Their mission is to transform the teaching and learning of mathematics, improving outcomes for all students in elementary and middle school.

Open Middle Tasks

Real World Tasks: Have you used Robert Kaplinsky's Open Middle Tasks and Real-World Problems? Great resources of math tasks that promote problem solving and reasoning.


Geogebra + Illustrative Mathematics

Do you use Illustrative Mathematics to supplement lessons ad GeoGebra as a tool? Access free Illustrative Math in GeoGebra now!

Secondary Tools & Practices
Click the arrow on the right to access information for elementary teachers and classrooms.

Rules that Expire in Middle School Math Classroom

"Overgeneralizing commonly accepted strategies, using imprecise vocabulary, and relying on tips and tricks that do not promote conceptual understanding can lead to misunderstanding late in students' math careers." -Karp, Bush, Dougherty

Here are the 12 Rules that Expires in Middle School Math Classrooms.

Rules that Expire in High School Math Classroom

"Overgeneralizing commonly accepted strategies, using imprecise vocabulary, and relying on tips and tricks that do not promote conceptual understanding can lead to misunderstanding late in students' math careers." -Karp, Bush, Dougherty

Here are the 15 Rules that Expires in High School Math Classrooms.

Dan Meyer's Three-Act Math

This site is a spreadsheet with links to approximately 60 lessons that each linked to one or more grade 6 through high school Common Core Math Standards and one or more Standards for Mathematical Practice.

Online Calculator Apps

Desmos Graphing Calculator - Graph functions, plot data, evaluate equations, explore transformations, and much more – for free! Also available as an app on Google Play and Apple App Store

Calculate84 - a graphing calculators for iPhones

CALC 84 - a graphing calculator 83/84

Wabbitemu - creates a Texas Instruments graphing calculator right on your Windows, Mac, or Android device.

Inside Mathematics

The Inside Mathematics Problem Solving problems are non-routine math problems designed to promote problem-solving in your classroom. Each problem is divided into five levels of difficulty to allow access and scaffolding for students into different aspects of the problem and to stretch students to go deeper into mathematics complexity.

Desmos Classroom Activities

Access digital math activities that engage students into problem solving, thinking and reasoning. Premade Desmos activities are available but teachers can create their own.

Open Middle Tasks

Real World Tasks: Have you used Robert Kaplinsky's Open Middle Tasks and Real-World Problems? Great resources of math tasks that promote problem solving and reasoning.


Geogebra + Illustrative Mathematics

Do you use Illustrative Mathematics to supplement lessons ad GeoGebra as a tool? Access free Illustrative Math in GeoGebra now!

Additional Opportunities from Outside KSDE

NSCM Annual Conference

NCSM is happy to announce the 54th NCSM Annual Conference! Whether you are a first-timer or a veteran of NCSM annual conferences, join us for three exciting days in Anaheim, California, focused on important issues for leaders in mathematics education.


Take this opportunity to enlarge your network of colleagues who can assist you in building and supporting your local mathematics program and to meet new friends who share your interests and love of mathematics education. Become a part of NCSM, the mathematics leadership organization for educational leaders that provides professional learning opportunities to support and sustain improved student achievement


Plan now to make the trip to Anaheim where exciting opportunities await you at the 2022 Annual Conference!

Theme

The theme of the 2022 NCSM Annual Conference is: Imagine. Inspire. Influence. Make an IMPACT! Learn more about the conference here.

NCTM Annual Conference

Considered the “Superbowl event of the year,” NCTM Annual Meetings bring together thousands of mathematics educators from all over the world to collaborate, network, learn, inspire, and much more. With over hundreds of education sessions to choose from and attend, you can always expect to walk away with more knowledge and inspiration to implement into your classrooms.

Theme

The theme of the 2022 NCTM Annual Conference is: One Mathematics, Many Voices: Sharing Our Collective Stories of Rehumanizing Mathematics Teaching and Learning. Learn more about the conference here.

T³ Regional Summits

Each regional summit offers a variety of interactive sessions, and you can select those that interest you the most.

Participants will receive a Certificate of Attendance, which may be accepted for school or district continuing education credit.

First Educational Resources: "Help! They Don't Know Their Facts!" Moving beyond Memorization by Developing Fact Fluency

Have you ever wondered why students don’t know their basic facts? We have all had that thought, “if they just knew their facts…” So, what if they did know their facts, and it was built by constructing relationships with numbers and by using models and strategies that promote conceptual understanding? In this 90 minute virtual session, we will explore the difference between fluency and memorization, barriers, and how to build fact fluency through conceptual understanding and developing students’ number sense.

Shelly Daun and Amanda Ironside have many years of experience working with teachers to successfully meet the diverse mathematical needs of their students by providing teachers with increased knowledge of how students learn math and what teachers can do to move their students along a continuum of deeper understanding. Click here to learn more about the it.

First Educational Resources: Leveraging Small Group Instruction

Small group instruction allows teachers to understand their student’s instructional strengths and areas of need. This allows teachers to tailor lessons that meet students where they are along their journey of learning and understanding mathematical concepts. Individualized attention towards students boosts confidence and provides an environment where students feel comfortable with risk-taking, asking questions and receiving feedback to their learning. This series will provide teachers with many tools to build their “tool box” to meet the needs of the diverse learners in their classrooms through small group instruction.

Shelly Daun and Amanda Ironside have many years of experience working with teachers to successfully meet the diverse mathematical needs of their students by providing teachers with increased knowledge of how students learn math and what teachers can do to move their students along a continuum of deeper understanding. During this series, Amanda and Shelly will share practical small group instructional tools and activities that teachers can use instantly in their classroom to leverage student success and conceptual understanding of various mathematical concepts. Click here to register.

First Educational Resources: Productive Struggle: Strategies and Tasks for Promoting Perseverance in Your Mathematics Classroom

In this 90-minute session, participants will explore the meaning of productive struggle and how it encourages risk-taking in the classroom. We will learn the importance of valuing perseverance, how mental stamina can be built through problem solving and how identifying multiple entry points to a task increases engagement and helps identify and maximize potential. In this session, we will investigate strategies and tasks that provide students with the appropriate level of challenge from a mathematics lens. Register here.

NCTM Webinar Library

Did you know that the National Council of Teaching Mathematics has a webinar library on recent shifts in Math Teaching practice? Check out their topics here.


Grow Your PLN!

Twitter

KSDE Teacher Leader

They are amazing tools for personalized professional learning and great communities to network with other educators and leaders. Check out @KSDETCHRLEADERS and @KATMWebmaster on twitter and Kansas Association of Teachers of Mathematics on Facebook. #KSMath

Building Thinking Classrooms in Mathematics

Want to network with other math educators and leaders about Building Thinking Classrooms? Follow Dr. Peter Liljedahl, the author of BTC in mathematics, and you'll find tons of math educators to collaborate with.

Podcasts

Making Math Moments that Matter

Looking for a good math podcast? Wondering how to create a classroom culture where students don't want to stop exploring mathematics when the bell rings? Kyle Pearce from TapIntoTeenMinds.com and Jon Orr from MrOrr-IsAGeek.com team up to uncover how we can Make Math Moments That Matter for every student in the math classroom from Kindergarten through Grade 12. Discover how you can build easy to plan and fun to deliver maths lessons that kids will not only love but also learn from using the Making Math Moments That Matter 3-Part Framework.

The Sum of it All: Thinking Classrooms Podcast

Great discussion about Building Thinking Classrooms! Podcasts available by chapter.

The Build Math Minds

The Build Math Minds podcast is for my fellow Recovering Traditionalists out there. We are math educators who used to teach math the traditional way. Flip lesson by lesson in the textbook, directly teaching step-by-step how to solve math problems. But now, we are working to change that to a style of teaching math that is fun and meets our students where they are at, not just teaching what comes next in the textbook. We want to encourage our students to be thinkers, problem solvers, and lovers of mathematics.

Shake Up Learning

WHAT: The Shake Up Learning Show is a weekly podcast hosted by Kasey Bell.

The show features a variety of episodes for K12 teachers and educators, including tech tips, lesson ideas, practical advice, on-air coaching, student interviews, and interviews with inspiring educators.

WHEN: New episodes are released every Tuesday.

HOW: Listen on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, iHeart, or any of your other favorite podcatchers. You can also stream on ShakeUpLearning.com.