AR Math QuEST – The state-wide professional development focus for mathematics is AR Math QuEST (Quantitative Essentials for Students and Teachers), a two-year learning opportunity for mathematics educators grades K-12. AR Math QuEST is a journey for ambitious teaching that promotes equity and engagement of all students in meaningful mathematics learning experiences of reasoning and problem-solving. AR Math QuEST empowers educators and families to help students develop positive identities as doers of mathematics to increase student achievement. The National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM)’s Mathematics Teaching Practices and the Standards for Mathematical Practice are the research-based foundation for exemplary teaching and learning. Please contact one of the SCSC math specialists for additional information concerning K-12 AR Math QuEST professional development opportunities.

K-2 Number Sense – A professional development, created in conjunction with other Math Specialists across the state, that focuses on early number sense. The professional development addresses the effective mathematics teaching practices, as identified by NCTM,  that supports the 8 Student Standards for Math Practices resulting in a coherent experience for students and teachers in the classroom.

Fractional Numbers (Grades 3-5): A series of two professional development opportunities, created in conjunction with other Math Specialists across the state, that focuses on the teaching of fractions. Participants can choose to attend either one or both days of the training.

Making Sense of Fractional Numbers (Grades 3-5): Day 1 – This professional development focuses on effective teaching practices that can lead to student fluency with fractions. 

Further Understanding of Fractional Numbers (Grades 3-5): Day 2 – This professional development focuses on effective teaching practices that can lead to student fluency with fractions. Day 2 focuses on more advanced student understanding than Day 1.

Addressing the Challenges of Teaching Math to Students with Dyscalculia and/or Dyslexia (Grades K-8) – A professional development designed to raise participants’ awareness of Dyscalculia (specific learning disability in math) and Dyslexia while providing ideas/strategies to teach math to students exhibiting characteristics of one or both. Identification of screeners (existing screeners or school-developed screeners) for identifying students with characteristics of dyscalculia is included. A professional development designed for both the regular classroom teacher and the special education resource teacher.

Building Connections Using Multiple Representations – This is a professional development created in conjunction with other Math Specialists across the state.  The focus is on using multiple representations (graphs, tables, numerical, and verbal) to justify and explain mathematical thinking.

Cognitively Guided Instruction - CGI, teachers explore a framework for how elementary school children learn concepts of numbers, operations, and early Algebra. Teachers also learn how to use this framework to guide their mathematics instruction. They will learn to analyze story problems and number sentences to determine their mathematical demands and to recognize student responses in terms of cognitive development; assess student thinking and design problems that will develop their understanding of concepts and skills. What teachers learn in a CGI Institute enhances how they implement any curriculum or resource materials.

K-5 Number Talks - This professional development will be based on the book with the corresponding name written by Sherry Parrish. The purpose is to build number sense and fluency through five to fifteen-minute classroom conversations around purposefully crafted computation problems that are solved mentally.   SCSC will be offering Number Talks:  Fractions, Decimals, and Percents during the summer of 2018!

What’s the Math?  Early Number Sense Learning Trajectory – This training will look at student number sense development in terms of a learning trajectory. We will examine the big ideas and strategies in that learning trajectory, in an attempt to better support student mathematical development. We will use Number Sense Strategies: Building Numerical Literacy Every Day in Grades K-3 as a resource.

SCSC Math Programs use student-focused view for all of our programs.  The Purposeful Pedagogy and Discourse Model, written by Linda Jaslow in collaboration with Aimee Evans, is regarded as the chosen teaching model.