ATOMIC Conference March 2025

This presentation will introduce practical discourse protocols to enhance students' deep understanding of mathematics. These strategies foster a classroom environment where students actively participate in discussions, challenging and building upon each other's ideas. By building on the knowledge and strengths of all students, these protocols will help to build a culture where all students feel that they belong in math class. Join us in redefining mathematics learning, making it an active, engaging, and deeply enriching experience for all students.

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.

Presenters:
Kevin Hanlon - khanlon@cheshire.k12.ct.us
Jessica Atnes - jatnes@cheshire.k12.ct.us

This session is part of a two-part series focusing on ways educators can support ELs/MLs during math instruction. This session presents key ideas of how educators can foster student comprehension as they explore math concepts. Participants will explore a variety of strategies that support language access in the math classroom. Consider joining the corresponding session: “Strengthening Math Instruction for ELs/MLs 2: Supporting Student Communication”. (Each session is a stand alone workshop. It is not necessary to attend both.)

Math is a powerful tool for navigating our world, and we need to let students in on that secret! In particular, issues of fairness pervade our society - from income inequality, to the availability of healthy foods, to gerrymandering, to FDA recommendations. Join us to learn about these mathematically rich, fairness-focused problems, do some math, and become familiar with the Math Teachers’ Circle 4 Social Justice community which supports teachers in building capacity with math for social justice.

Did you become a K- 6 leader without K-2 teaching experience like I did? Are your K-2 teachers supported in literacy but not math because they are not “testing grades”? Are you a K-2 teacher who wants to be as effective as possible teaching math? Then this session is for you. K-2 is a critical time for math learners. The session will examine key numeracy content and strategies to support teachers to effectively teach students in these grade levels.