Leveling the Playing Field in Math Summit

It’s common to hear students say that they’re just not “math people.” But the idea that math is an innate ability can limit kids’ prospects and reinforce racial and gender stereotypes. In this summit our reporters and their guests will explore ways to support all students in math classrooms in elementary, middle, and high schools.

This afternoon’s discussions will also include a look at the potential of math coaches to improve instruction and the benefits of students talking together about their math thinking processes.

• 1:00–2:30 p.m. ET | Discussions Open
  Education Week journalists and their special guests provide practical takeaways about leveling the playing field in math.

  Room 1: Teaching English-Learners and Students With Disabilities

  ‣ Moderator: Corey Mitchell, Staff Writer, Education Week
  ‣ How do teachers develop and deliver meaningful, challenging math lessons for English-learners and special education students? Part of the challenge lies in confronting the broad labels attached to these students. The labels often fail to focus on their strengths and particular needs.
  ‣ Guests:

  • Bradley Witzel, Professor and Special Education Program Coordinator, Winthrop University College of Education
  • Cathery Yeh, Assistant Professor, Attallah College of Educational Studies, Chapman University

  Room 2: Developing Your Student’s Math Identity

  ‣ Moderator: Sarah Schwartz, Staff Writer, Education Week
  ‣ In this discussion, our guests from the Howard County School District in Maryland will discuss math curriculum that’s designed to help students examine and reshape their math identities and see themselves as a “math people.” Find out how the program is being implemented both in class and remotely in this large school district.
  ‣ Guests:

  • Molly Schaefer, 8th Grade Math Teacher, Murray Hill Middle School, Howard County Public Schools, Md.
  • Jon Wray, Coordinator of Secondary Mathematics, Howard County Public Schools, Md.

  Room 3: Math Talk: Tool for ‘Productive Struggle’

  ‣ Moderator: Catherine Gewertz, Senior Contributing Writer, Education Week
  ‣ In this discussion, our guests will explore the push to get students doing the talking and reasoning in math class. What does that look like both in class and remotely? How can it contribute to a more inclusive classroom and greater equity in math learning?
  ‣ Guests:

  • Robert Q. Berry III, Samuel Braley Gray Professor of Mathematics Education, School of Education and Human Development, University of Virginia, and Past President of the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics
  • Amanda Jansen, Professor of Mathematics Education, University of Delaware, and author of Rough Draft Math: Revising to Learn

  Room 4: Math Coaching

  ‣ Moderator: Madeline Will, Staff Writer, Education Week
  ‣ Just 18 percent of public schools had a math coach in the 2015-16 school year, according to federal data, and yet research suggests that math coaching is one of the most effective forms of teacher professional development available. Our guests include a middle school math coach and a researcher who has explored what it takes for a math coaching program to be successful.
  ‣ Guests:

  • Adrianne Burns, Math Coach, De Pere Middle School, De Pere, Wis.
  • Aimee Ellington, Professor, Virginia Commonwealth University

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  Room 5: Utilizing Math History to Embrace Equity, Failure, and Authentic Problem Solving

  ‣ In order to move forward in math education with clarity, conviction, and compassion for equity, we need to have a broader lens. In this presentation, Sunil Singh will present ideas for how math educators, regardless of experience, can facilitate rich, equity conversations in math education by building connections through math history and storytelling.
  ‣ Guest:

  • Sunil Singh, Author, Pi of Life: The Hidden Happiness of Mathematics, and Co-Author, Math Recess

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  Room 6: How to Make Classrooms Come Alive With Student Thinking

  ‣ We believe that the students doing the talking are the students doing the learning. That’s why we’re celebrating the launch of Ready Classroom Mathematics, a K-8 discourse-driven core mathematics curriculum with free access to our library of top mathematics discourse resources. Featuring top teacher moves as well as actionable classroom tools, resources teachers use today to help get students engaged in their learning and deepen their conceptual understanding.
  Join the discussion to learn more!

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  Room 7: Leveling the Playing Field at Every Level

  ‣ Moderator: Joanie Funderburk, Strategic Alliance Director, Texas Instruments
  ‣ Equitable access and outcomes in math classrooms have long been an issue. Alignment across all stakeholders in the system—classrooms, schools, districts, states, and professional organizations—is imperative for improvements in this area. Educators in all of these groups can, and should, be empowered to effect change that results in positive student outcomes. Join us for a conversation and Q&A with special guests on how we address these challenges and opportunities at every level.
  ‣ Guests:

  • Katey Arrington, Manager of K-12 Services, The University of Texas at Austin
  • Marian Dingle, Grade Level Chairperson and 4th and 5th Grade Teacher, Briar Vista Elementary School, Atlanta, and Heinemann Fellow
  • Lya Snell, Mathematics Program Manager, Georgia Department of Education

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  Room 8: Future-Proofing Math Instruction: Teaching Math in Remote Learning Environments at Every Grade Level

  ‣ Join Texthelp’s Louis Shanafelt, EquatIO Product Manager, and former math teacher, and a panel of math educators as they discuss strategies to help move math instruction to the digital learning environment.
  In this discussion, these guests will uncover best practice for engaging with math students remotely, as well as how they are facilitating and assessing math outside of the classroom environment. They will also share their own personal experiences and expertise as well as exploring technologies that have been helpful at all grade levels.
  ‣ Guests:

  • Marilu Deal, Grade 7-12 Mathematics Consultant, Ottawa Catholic School Board, Ottawa, Canada
  • Dan Lyons, Math Teacher, Lakeview-Ft Oglethorpe High School, Fort Oglethorpe, Ga.
  • Megan Mongelli, Technology Integration Specialist, Fort Mill School District, Fort Mill, S.C.
  • Louis Shanafelt, EquatIO Product Manager, Texthelp, and Former Math Teacher

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  Room 9: Your Mathematics PLC Unit Planning Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic

  ‣ In this discussion, our guests will recognize and explore the urgency caused by limited student access and proficiency toward 4th quarter 2019-2020 pre K-12 school mathematics standards in light of the pandemic. What should the 2020-2021 school year “return-to-learn” plan be? We’ll provide guidelines to the vital reset necessary to embed prior year mathematics standards.
  ‣ Guests:

  • Timothy D. Kanold, International Educator, Educational Consultant, and Co-Author of the Every Student Can Learn Mathematics
  • Sarah Schuhl, NCSM Secretary, Educational Consultant, and Co-Author of the Every Student Can Learn Mathematics professional development series
  • Mona Toncheff, NCSM President, Educational Consultant, and Co-Author of the Every Student Can Learn Mathematics professional development series