Mathematics Professional Development

Research suggests that students can gain a better understanding of mathematical concepts by going through a concrete-pictorial-abstract experience continuum. Students need concrete experiences to build their own foundation of understanding math. Once that foundation is established, how can teachers effectively connect it to more efficient and abstract procedures?

Standard for Mathematical Practice #3 (Construct viable arguments and critique the reasoning of others) highlights the value of student discourse. Through classroom discussions, students can justify their own conclusions and explore the solution strategies of their peers to help them refine their own thinking. How can teachers facilitate meaningful student interactions that will foster understanding?

Knowing basic facts allows students to free mental capacity for more challenging tasks. Traditional methods promote memorizing facts with little-to-no connection to their meaning. By examining the phases students go through to make memorization more meaningful, together will explore practical strategies to help students make sense of these facts. How can teachers support the students in knowing their basic addition and subtraction facts from memory?

Knowing basic facts allows students to free mental capacity for more challenging tasks. Traditional methods promote memorizing facts with little-to-no connection to their meaning. By examining the phases students go through to make memorization more meaningful, together will explore practical strategies to help students make sense of these facts. How can teachers support the students in knowing their basic multiplication and division facts from memory?

Number Talks is one of the most popular- and impactful- classroom routines. Together we will explore how to make this low-preparation, high-yield 15 minute conversation apart of the daily classroom routine. What exactly is a number talk, and how can teachers incorporate them into their daily routines with little effort?

Every learner is different, sometimes requiring different paths to success. Addressing the needs of the struggling learners requires deliberate, specific instructinal decisions. How can teachers identify the struggles students face in learning, and what specific instructional strategies can be used to help the struggling math learner?

Saturday Academy for Math (SA4M) is a unique Saturday learning experience completely tailored to your needs. This relaxed learning experience is perfect for multi-grade development. Teachers will have the opportunity to engage in hands-on tasks and discussions with their colleagues centered around powerful teaching practices. How can teachers from different grades support the learning of all students?

Content standards dictate 'what' students learn. The SMPs describe 'how' students should learn math. Structured from NCTM's process standards and the National Research Council's Adding It Up, these standards describe varieties of expertise that teachers should seek to develop in their students. How can teachers invigorate their classroom instruction, and ensure meaningful learning experiences for their students?

Today's content standards are more rigorous than ever, and meant to connect students' learning experiences from year-to-year. You pick the standard(s), and together we will explore the expectations, pre-requisites, and assessment options to measure student mastery. What exactly are the expectations for standards of your choice, and how do we get students from where they are to mastery?

Students love being able to "see the math" through the use of manipulatives and other tools that make mathematics concrete and visible. The decision to use specific manipulatives and other tools should consider several factors. What are good manipulatives to use and how can teachers make the most of their use of manipulatives?