Planning with Scripted Curricula: Strategies for Math Teachers
Sue Kelley
4-12

As districts increasingly adopt scripted mathematics curricula, teachers face new planning challenges. How do we plan effectively when tasks are predetermined by curriculum developers? This session explores strategies for maintaining pedagogical responsiveness while working within highly structured curriculum frameworks.
Salon B

Spot It: A Twist on Using Patterns to Build Flexible  Addition and Subtraction Fact Fluency
Pat Peffley
K-3

Students discover fact patterns and properties through concrete activities.  Playful chants, finger plays and partner games make them memorable.  Then, Spot It's unique color-code sends students on an I Spy search for each pattern in turn, guiding them to learn to depend on patterns instead of fingers. Conceptual understanding builds flexible number sense.
Salon C

Developing Receptive & Productive Language Skills in the Math Classroom
Daniel Kaufmann
4-12

This session will take participants through a variety of routines that they can easily implement in their classroom. The routines will highlight how students can deepen their understanding when there is a focus on both receiving and producing language.
Salon D

Every Graph Tells a Story: Empower Students to Visualize and Generalize
Dewey Gottlieb, NCTM President Elect
10-12

What happens when graphs come alive? This interactive session will explore how the Desmos Graphing Calculator makes abstract concepts visible, interactive, and intuitive. Integrating dynamic visualizations with impactful instructional strategies, we’ll experience how Desmos supports teachers to promote curiosity and nurture mathematical reasoning skills. Participants will leave with tasks and ideas for meaningful classroom implementation. While this session is designed for those with limited experience with the Desmos Graphing Calculator, all levels of expertise are welcome.
Salon E

Struggle Is Part of the Story: Inspiring Minds Through Teacher Growth
Dr. Amanda Stutzman, Dr. Tara Diehl
All Grades

This session reframes teacher struggle as a vital component of professional growth. Drawing on teacher preparation and classroom practice, participants will explore how productive struggle supports reflective teaching, strengthens mathematical confidence, and ultimately inspires student thinking and learning in mathematics classrooms.
Interstate

From Materials to Meaning: Using HQIM for Engagement, Equity, and Relevance
Ma Bernadette Andres-Salgarino, Danielle Letts, Sandhya Raman, Denise Williams
4-12

High-quality instructional materials matter—but how they are selected and used matters more. This session challenges educators to move from compliance to purpose by leveraging HQIM through asset-based instruction, active engagement, and cultural relevance to create meaningful, equitable learning experiences for all students.
Monongahela

Written Work Is Not the Full Story: Rethinking Math Assessment and Feedback with Student-Made Videos
Joe DiOrio, Capture Thought
6-12

What if you could assess every student's mathematical reasoning in their own words, supported by research-based feedback within minutes? 

In this hands-on session, we will introduce Capture Thought, a simple phone stand and web application.  This classroom-ready system allows students to record a short video explanation of a math problem, and our research-based evaluative AI provides detailed, personalized feedback on their mathematical reasoning, vocabulary use, and depth of explanation.
Ohio

Challenges & Obstacles in Redesign of High School Math
Eric Milou
10-12

This session explores redesigned high school math pathways, including data science, modeling, and quantitative literacy, while reexamining Algebra II. Participants will review national models, consider curriculum options, and discuss essential shifts in instruction and assessment. The session aims to build consensus around meaningful math reform that better aligns with modern learners’ needs.
Salon B

Conquering Math Myths with Universal Design for Learning
Ron Martiello
K-6

Co-author of Conquering Math Myths with Universal Design and host of Math, Universally Speaking, Ron Martiello guides math leaders in confronting limiting beliefs and designing inclusive instruction. This session applies UDL principles to help educators anticipate barriers, expand access, and build courageous, equitable math practices for every learner.
Salon C

Are We Helping, Hindering, or Hanging them out to Dry? Examining Scaffolding in Math Instruction
Teresa Brown
All Grades

Sometimes we scaffold so well that students don't need to think. Other times we step back so far they're lost. And occasionally, our "help" just gets in the way. Come ready to analyze real examples, wrestle with tricky scenarios together, and practice making better in-the-moment calls.
Salon D

Encourage Mathematical Investigation with the Desmos Graphing Calculator
Bob Lochel
7-12

In this session, participants will act as learners and participate in classroom-ready experiences featuring the Desmos graphing calculator. Learn about functions, lists, folders and ideas for formative and summative assessments, presented by a classroom teacher who uses these moves regularly with students in Algebra 1 and 2. This session is ideal for teachers new to Desmos, and those looking to level up their skills.
Salon E

Teaching to All: Implementing Low-Floor, High-Ceiling Tasks to Reach Every Learner
Samuel Taylor
4-12

Kids enter the classroom with a variety of skills, ability levels, and experiences. Low-floor, high-ceiling tasks are accessible and engaging to ALL students, and push their thinking to build deeper conceptual understanding. Let's look at some effective low-floor, high-ceiling tasks that will benefit EVERY learner.
Interstate

Disruptive Numbers: The Power Numbers Create to Uncover Hidden Stories
Ma Bernadette Andres-Salgarino, Taica Hsu, Luis Jauregui
4-12

In a data-driven world, numbers shape decisions and narratives. This session explores how “disruptive numbers” challenge assumptions, reveal hidden stories, and deepen data literacy, positioning mathematics as a powerful tool for learning, unlearning, and relearning.
Monongahela

Meeting Every Learner Where They Are: How First In Math Powers MTSS Success
Bob Sun, Suntex
4-6

Explore how First In Math’s MTSS-aligned, adaptive games and real-time data empower educators to personalize instruction, track progress, and support all learners effectively—bridging personalized learning with scalable digital solutions that enhance student growth and reduce teacher planning time.
Ohio

Conference menus will be available closer to the conference date.

Let’s Talk About Tasks! Strategies for Implementing “Doing-Math” tasks in the Classroom
Latrenda Knighten, NCTM President
K-5

Effective teaching of mathematics engages students in solving and discussing tasks that promote reasoning and problem solving. These tasks are also known as “doing-math” tasks. In this session, participants will actively engage in activities centered around identifying and implementing “doing-math” tasks. Strategies for working with tasks and engaging students in “doing- math” tasks will also be shared.
Salon B

Teacher-Inspired Math Modeling Routines: Connecting Modeling, Algebra, and Students
Rose Mary Zbiek, Gary Kaufman, James Yao , Amy Brass
7-12

Students need time to learn math modeling. Given everything that is in the curriculum, time is precious. We share instructional routines that are designed to teach modeling competencies in combination with algebra. Come explore examples that range from spicing up familiar word problems to incorporating full-blown modeling tasks!
Salon C

Math All Around Us: Using Environmental Themes to Teach Elementary Mathematics Concepts
Kathryn Silvis
4-6

Discover student-centered, small-group activities that build numeracy skills while engaging students with real-world connections to life and earth sciences. In this hands-on session, create mathematical models, develop and analyze simple graphs, engage in role-playing simulations and math games. Show students how their developing math skills help solve authentic problems.
Salon D

Cooperative Learning Techniques in the Classroom
Marian Avery
All Grades

Cooperative Learning is a successful teaching strategy in which small teams, each with students of different levels of ability, use a variety of learning activities to improve their understanding of a subject.  Cooperative Learning activities engage students in challenging and intentional instruction that ensures success for all students.   Hands-on workshop activities will include Colored Co-op Cards, Inside-Outside Circle, Pairs Check, Round Robin, Think-Pair-Share, and more.
Salon E

Four Lenses, One Truth: Building Mathematical Fluency Through Multiple Representations
Paul Battaglia
10-12

Mathematical concepts reveal themselves through verbal, analytical, numerical, and graphical representations. This hands-on session explores how moving fluidly between these four lenses, across a variety of topics in mathematics, builds true mathematical fluency and creates pathways to belonging for all learners.
Interstate

Game On:  Enhancing Math & Fluency Skill Through Hands-On Games
Kelly Suchanek, Savvas Learning Company
K-9

Ready to transform your classroom into a hub of discovery? This interactive workshop will equip you with a toolkit of dynamic, hands-on games that make learning essential math and language skills not just easy, but genuinely fun. Forget boring drills—we’ll explore how to use playful activities to boost mental problem solving, foster confident communication, and build a lifelong, positive relationship with learning. You’ll leave with practical, ready-to-use games and anew appreciation for the educational value of play!
Monongahela

From Adoption to Achievement: How One Pennsylvania District Accelerated K–5 Math Growth
Santina Loveland-Smith, Heather Wooding, Linda Hanlon, Great Minds
K-5

This session will highlight how Rose Tree Media School District is driving measurable K–5 math achievement gains through the implementation of high-quality instructional materials, specifically Eureka Math² from Great Minds. The presenting team will share why they selected Eureka Math² three years ago, their implementation and intervention strategies, the results they have achieved, and what’s next in their journey.

Presenters will also discuss how they aligned instruction to Pennsylvania standards, supported teachers through a structured implementation approach, and leveraged data to inform instructional decisions. Attendees will learn how a strong core program, paired with intentional professional support, has led to demonstrated student growth on the PSSA and sustained instructional impact across schools.
Ohio

Emphasizing Factor Trees to Teach Fractions
Timothy W. Young
4-12

I believe emphasizing The Fundamental Theorem of Arithmetic using Factor Trees in an advanced arithmetic or prealgebra class prior to having students enter an algebra class will bridge the gap between simplifying fractions in arithmetic which generally requires students to master the multiplication and division facts to solve most problems and simplifying rational expressions in algebra which generally requires students to factor first to solve most problems.  
Salon B

See It, Do It, Use It: Modeling a Thinking Classroom in Mathematics
Dr. Tara Diehl, Dr. Amanda Stutzman
All Grades

Experience key components of Building Thinking Classrooms in Mathematics through hands-on problem solving and collaboration. This session models research-based strategies such as visibly random groups, rich tasks, and vertical non-permanent surfaces, allowing attendees to see how these structures promote student thinking and engagement and translate seamlessly into classroom practice, K-12.
Salon D

From Standards to Feedback: Using AI to Design Better Math Rubrics
Derrick Keister
7-12

This session explores how AI tools like ChatGPT can support standards-based grading in the mathematics classroom through effective rubric design. Participants will review research-based grading practices, will experience a recommended AI-based process for rubric generation, will analyze and apply sample rubrics aligned to mathematical practices, and will leave with an immediately replicable rubric-generation process for classroom use in grades 7–12.
Salon E

Manipulatives to Enhance Problem Solving in K-8 Mathematics
Jay Schiffman
All Grades

This hands-on workshop engages participants to utilize manipulatives including square (color) tiles, Cuisenaire rods, fraction tiles, a hundreds chart (to display factors) and graphing calculators as aids in solving rich problems in the K-8 classroom. The problems posed are in the spirit that good problems do not expire over time.
Interstate

Elevating Math Pathways: A Conversation with AP Precalculus Trailblazers
Leigh Nataro, College Board
10-12

Join Leigh Nataro, College Board’s Director of AP Precalculus, and trailblazing Pittsburgh-area educators as they share how AP Precalculus is elevating math pathways and expanding opportunity for more students. Panelists will highlight implementation strategies, lessons learned, and early impacts on student engagement and readiness.
Monongahela

Math in the Wild
Teresa Brown
All Grades

Go beyond "solve for x" by fostering authentic community partnerships and immersive storytelling. This session dives into a Moonshot Grant-funded collaboration between IU1 and local conservation experts that transformed traditional algebra into a high-stakes environmental "escape room." Learn how to leverage local industry to create math tasks that mirror the work of real-world professionals across all grade levels. Bonus: Attendees will leave with a modified, classroom-ready version of the "Watershed Contamination" escape room.
Ohio