Expand Possibilities is connecting youth to people and places to broaden their world.

Expanding Possibilities connects youth to people and places that broaden their world. This can look like offering role models, career options, and resources.


This is especially important since learning inequities (e.g. unequal access to math/science resources, colorblind curriculum, discrimination, and implicit biases of educators) and lack of diverse math/science figures can make students struggle to see themselves in math learning and careers. The following actions can Expand Possibilities, and you'll find activities below. Click here to download this page as a PDF.

Inspire your students.

Inspiration often happens through empathy and storytelling. In a math learning context, inspiring students begins by reflecting on your own experience of math, and offering students your own feelings and aspirations connected to math learning. Here are ways you can inspire your students:

    • Point out ways that math is present and useful in the everyday lives of students.

    • Share a story of confusion and/or making a mistake (about math or beyond) and how you overcame it.

    • Be a role model —not just in math learning but in how you approach learning in general.

    • Broaden the horizons of learning.

Broaden the horizons of learning.

Unfortunately many young people (and adults!) still assume that learning is only for the classroom. To broaden the horizons of learning, invite students to see how math connects with their own lived experience beyond the learning environment—and experiences they've yet to imagine for themselves. Here are ways you can broaden horizons of learning:

    • Help students think of different possibilities for their future.

    • Help students discover subjects that interest them.

    • Visit local community centers and places that are important to your student, and then share stories that show how math can be relevant in those spaces.

Connect new horizons to resources and concrete steps.

Expanding horizons can be less successful if students don't feel they have the resources to access them. It's important to connect students to tangible resources and steps they can take to help them reach their goals. Here are ways you can connect math learning to resources and concrete steps:

    • Introduce students to adults who offer support that they value.

    • Offer opportunities that connect their learning to the world (e.g., guest speakers, field trips).

    • Point students to resources for math learning outside of the program (e.g., websites about math, books, gatherings).



What do you wish your students would learn from having you as a tutor?



In what ways do you inspire your students?


Activities that Expand Possibilities

Here are specific activities you can use to Expand Possibilities in your learning context:

Role Modeling
Personal Reflection | 15 minutes

Value Beliefs
Personal Reflection | 15 minutes

Math in Everyday Life
One-on-One Activity, Group Activity | 15 minutes