Introducing the NC2ML HS Math Newsletter!
For the 2024 – 2025 school year we plan to help keep you in the know about all things NC Math by posting a newsletter each month. This newsletter will include news about special events / opportunities and new resources. It will be posted under 9-12 News at nc2ml.org/high-school-resources as well as on social media.
Sign up here to have the monthly newsletter sent directly to your inbox!
Read on for all of this month’s news!
NC2ML / NCCAT Secondary Math Vision Retreat
Calling all 6-12 district math teams! Join this awesome partnership between NCCAT and NC Collaborative for Mathematics Learning (NC2ML) as we work together to co-create a vision for high-quality equitable mathematics instruction!!!
We only have room for 10 teams, so sign up today!
Session Title: Co-Creating a Vision for Equitable Math Instruction
Description: A shared vision of high-quality and equitable instruction is essential for large-scale instructional improvement in mathematics. This four-day retreat will assist district teams in developing a district-wide vision of high-quality and equitable secondary mathematics instruction. This retreat is open to district teams serving grades 6-12.
Sign up Form: https://bit.ly/NC2MLVisionsRetreat
Introducing the Amplifying Voices Podcast
We are very excited to introduce the Amplifying Voices Podcast series, brought to you by the NC2ML Visions Project 9-12 Co-design Team! The podcast aims to bring together NC teachers, teacher leaders, and mathematics education researchers to discuss the realities of supporting students’ engagement in mathematics discourse. Each episode will be hosted by Emily Hare (Guilford County Schools), Margaret Borden (NC State), and Josh Griffin (Franklin County Schools) who bring their fun personalities along with their knowledge of NC students, teachers, leadership, and policy to every conversation. We have TWO episodes coming for August! Keep an eye out on the website and NC2ML social media accounts (i.e., facebook, instagram, LinkedIn, and X) for more information!
We start by welcoming guests Dr. Charles Munter, math education researcher at University of Missouri and Joe Reaper, NCDPI Math Consultant, to set the scene for using discourse moves to impact a vision for high-quality and equitable mathematics instruction.
Later this month we focus on setting community agreements at the beginning of school so your classroom is ready to reach mathematical discourse. We welcome Geoff Krall, author of “Necessary Conditions” and Rob Leichner, Secondary Curriculum Math Specialist from Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools to have a conversation about setting up classroom culture to support mathematical discourse.
Access the podcast here!
New Toolkit Alert!
Setting Up Your Classroom for Math Discourse
Credit: Yan Krukau, via Pexels.com
Setting clear expectations at the start of the year is like building the foundation of a strong house. It creates a supportive and respectful environment where students can learn effectively. This benefits everyone – students behave better, focus more on academics, and develop important social and emotional skills. Just like talking things through helps us understand math better, classroom discussions are key to learning. By setting ground rules for discussions early on, we can create a space where students feel safe to share ideas and learn from each other. This leads to not only better grades but also well-rounded students who are confident and comfortable interacting with others.
To help ensure that students are comfortable sharing their thinking, we put together this toolkit to help you get your classes setup for productive mathematical discussions. The toolkit includes four documents with strategies for setting clear expectations, modeling productive mathematics discourse, promoting collaborative learning, and using structured routines. The documents are linked below and each include:
- An explanation and rationale
- Examples of specific strategies to implement in the classroom
- Links to other resources
- Questions to support PLC discussions about the strategies within
The strategies described in the documents will help you establish classroom agreements at the beginning of the semester that lay a foundation for a productive, supportive, equitable, and respectful learning community.
Access the new toolkits here!!