For the past several years VCTM has held an annual Saturday MATH FAIR for students. Any elementary, middle school, or high school student is welcome to present as an individual or in a group. They can choose what area of mathematics they would like to feature. This is a half day activity, and we have been fortunate to be able to hold it at UVM. We even held a virtual MATH FAIR one of the Covid years! We have been very pleased with what students bring to this effort. If you attend this conference session, we can share with you our “hints” to sponsor a successful MATH FAIR. We may even be able to show you some of the super presentations that students have done in the past. We think that it is amazing what students can do when given the chance!
Accelerated learning for all students puts equity at the center of learning. Come and learn more about an Acceleration model that is being developed and used to close learning gaps for all students in one Connecticut district. We will explore what is meant by accelerated learning, how it supports learning for all students and how shifts in educator mindset and goals can change outcomes for students.
Advanced Algebra with Financial Applications is an alternative course for struggling students who need to take 3-4 years of math to graduate, and for whom Algebra 2 is a daunting task. Additionally, future CT high school graduates will be required to take a finance course, and this course can meet the standards for that course. Consequently. all math students can take it as an elective--it meets the needs of every single student.
Just as athletes or musicians improve through regular practice, instructional coaches can sharpen their skills through regular practice observations opportunities. This session introduces “Coaching Walks,” a low-stakes, high-frequency practice designed to build coaches' capacity to observe instruction for impact on student learning. Through partnered brief classroom visits, coaches move beyond surface-level observations of engagement and focus on the true impact of instruction on student learning.
Using video and student work samples on three topics (multiplication, data analysis, and algebra), participants will be actively engaged in analysis of the math ideas being generated by students in multi-diverse settings. Evidence is presented that learning is progressive and developmental in nature best depicted as a complex network of pathways comprised of strategies, big ideas, and models. Transmission in most cases does not develop this required thinking. Professional learning and student achievement results from two districts are provided as further evidence.
The presenter, a co-author of the Connecticut Joint Position Paper on Equity in Mathematics Education, will begin the session by addressing two questions: how well is the assessment aligned to CCS-Math Standards (especially the Math Practice Standards) and how well is it aligned to the Equity in Mathematics Education Document? The second half of the session will consist of a roundtable discussion on these issues.
In this session, participants will explore a rubric developed by CCLM to assess how effectively districts are meeting the commitments outlined in the State BOE-endorsed Equity in Mathematics Education statement. We will reflect upon the implementation of the three pillars and essential conditions needed to create an equitable mathematics system. Attendees will gain actionable strategies for aligning their practices with the Equity Statement’s goals, ensuring that all students have access to high-quality, equitable math education.
Discover how to strengthen co-teaching relationships and create inclusive, differentiated classrooms. Explore strategies for effective communication, shared responsibilities, and collaborative planning. Learn from real-world examples and leave with actionable steps to improve student outcomes and foster a positive co-teaching environment.
How can coaching and professional development with smaller groups of teachers be elevated through use of Building Thinking Classrooms structures? Which BTC moves best support teachers’ willingness to take a stance of curiosity about their own practice? Through an immersive experience of analyzing student work, we will uncover practical approaches for embedding the BTC framework into your PD sessions, as we strive to cultivate an environment where teachers feel empowered to continuously explore and improve their practice.
Research suggests that high-dosage tutoring can have a positive impact on traditionally marginalized students. However, tutors often have less training than teachers, and many teachers find the relationship difficult to navigate. It can also be challenging to select the right structure and curriculum for your setting. This session will explore one middle school’s implementation of high-dosage tutoring including logistical considerations, training, curriculum design and implementation, and navigating the teacher/tutor relationship.
Join us as we take you through our journey from teaching discrete math learning targets to the development of an integrated STEM curriculum that gives students a more local and global context for math. Participants will have time to take steps to explore their own curriculums and get started on brainstorming the systems and processes it would take to pilot an integrated curriculum at your school.
In this session, participants will take a look at student performance data in school districts that have detracked. We will analyze this data and look for trends. There will be a discussion on how to set up your school course offerings to be equitable and to unlock the potential of all students. We will examine the impact your course offerings have on student outcomes. Finally, we will take a look at how you can use data to ensure all your students are appropriately challenged.
This session will explore how asset-based coaching can build teacher confidence and expertise in mathematics instruction. Grounded in research on adult learning theory, this session will provide practical strategies for instructional coaches to support teachers in recognizing and leveraging their strengths in the classroom, fostering a growth mindset approach to coaching, and positively impacting student learning in the mathematics classroom.
This fast-paced, example-laden and interactive discussion will make the case that, for far too many students, high school math is an inequitable, underperforming mess and that the status quo is simply no longer acceptable. We will look at a range of specific suggestions for making the case for change and for making long overdue changes in what and how we teach these four years of mathematics.
