I’m attending the National Council of Supervisors of Mathematics 2017 conference in San Antonio. Here are my notes from Tuesday along with the session descriptions from the presenters.
Tracking, Equity, and the Many Paradoxes of Algebra II
Jason Zimba
What is Algebra II good for? For whom is it good? Phil Daro raised these and other questions for the Carnegie-Institute for Advanced Study Commission. Fast forward to now, and the debate about ‘what mathematics and why’ has found its way into the pages of the popular press. Is there anything district leaders can learn from this conversation? How might a district leader who prizes equity think about the question of tracking in school mathematics?
Routines for Reasoning:
Ensuring All Students Are Mathematical Thinkers
Amy Lucenta, Grace Kelemanik
Instructional routines embody research-based best practices for struggling learners, especially when they focus on the Standards for Mathematical Practice and include ‘baked in’ supports
for special populations. Participants will explore a universally designed instructional routine, Connecting Representations, and learn how to leverage it to develop teachers’ capacity to ensure development of ALL students’ mathematical practices.
Letting Go: Cultivating Agency and Authority Through Number Talks in the Secondary Mathematics Classroom
Cathy Humphreys
In this session I share my dissertation study of two high school teachers as they learned to enact Number Talks. I wanted to know what the teachers found most challenging and how coaching supported their learning. In examining the videos of classroom lessons, I noticed marked differences in how agency and authority emerged in the two classes. I hope what I learned while searching for “Why?” will be useful for teachers and coaches alike.
Winning the Game in Mathematics Leadership
Matt Owens
Mathematics leadership is multifaceted in nature as we strive to intentionally impact students and educators in classrooms nationwide. Leadership pathways can be different from leader to leader, but ultimately curriculum/ content, instruction, activism, and assessment (CIAA) are all areas of evaluation for “PRIME” leaders in mathematics education. Discover the top seven practical strategies for overcoming the struggles that may arise in your role as a mathematics leader within your school/university, district, state, and national professional learning communities, while building the capacity of teachers’ leadership among mathematics educators in these respective communities.
Approaching Ten Tough Mathematical Ideas
for High School Students
Salmon Usiskin
The main purpose of this talk is to provide insights into mathematical content that many mathematics teachers may not have seen. By covering a broad range of content, from aspects of manipulative algebra through proof in geometry and in general, discussing language, applications, and representations, my remarks are designed for leaders to help in decisions they make in the professional development of their teachers.
Experiments in Learning by Doing 