Consider creating a math team of teachers passionate about math instruction in your district.  A district math leader can hold monthly or quarterly meetings with the team, keeping them updated on current math research.  This team can support curriculum implementation across the district by creating essential documents such as correlation documents or unit plans.  This team can also conduct professional development at their schools and across the district on instructional methods that may need rejuvenating or revisited.  Ongoing professional development keeps teachers current on best practices and inspires their enthusiasm for improving their practice.  This math team could also create monthly or quarterly newsletters with quick ideas or resources to share throughout the district.  

Start meetings at the district and school levels with a fun math task.  Many teachers lack confidence in their understanding of math and often shy away from math conversations.  Low-stakes math tasks are one way to start the conversation in a safe space.  

Another vital stakeholder to get talking about math is families.  Many families are reluctant to engage in math conversations, especially with the difference in how math is taught today compared to how families remember their math instruction.  Making math culturally relevant by incorporating materials representative of your school’s diverse population is important in increasing parent engagement.  One idea from Virginia Zanger’s article, Math Storybooks, is to have families write their own math problems, and the school publishes a collection of math story problems for the school community to solve (Zanger, 1998).  What a great way for the community to see themselves in the math and share their family traditions. Other ways are organizing math nights and workshops, offering homework help, and providing quick, easily accessible resources to support families with math at home.  

Finally, celebrating math achievements throughout the school community is a great way to excite students about math.  Encourage students to participate in math clubs, contests, and other opportunities to showcase their problem-solving skills.  

No matter how you start the conversation, let’s start talking! Talking with families, students, and teachers will bring enthusiasm about math back into the classroom and prepare our students for our increasingly data-driven world.  

References 

Zanger, V. V. (1998).  Math storybooks.  Teaching Children Mathematics, 5(2), 98-102.  

http://www.jstor.org/stable/41197113