Building Thinking Classrooms in Math: Strategies for Enhancing Rich Tasks, Mathematical Discourse, and Collaboration

This webinar is free and open to the public.

Only 39% of 4th graders in the U.S. are proficient in math, according to the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP)*. That gap points to a clear need: moving students away from rote memorization and toward real mathematical thinking and discussion. 

Building Thinking Classrooms (BTC) offers a practical way to do that. In this webinar, you'll learn how to shift from step-by-step procedural teaching to building deeper understanding through rich math tasks, meaningful discourse, and collaborative problem-solving in small groups. You'll leave with classroom-ready strategies and routines aligned to the Standards for Mathematical Practice (SMPs), so students not only learn the steps, but understand the "why" behind them, at every grade level.

In this webinar, you will:

• Design rich math tasks and structure collaborative groups that spark real mathematical discourse in TK-12 classrooms
• Facilitate discussions that connect students' thinking to language, visual models, and deeper conceptual understanding
• Adapt thinking tasks and discourse strategies to fit different grade levels and diverse learners
• Apply the Standards for Mathematical Practice (SMPs) to help students understand the reasoning behind math concepts

Instructor: Robin Williams, EdD
Adjunct Professor, UMass Global, Professional Development Specialist and International Baccalaureate Coordinator

*https://www.nationsreportcard.gov/reports/mathematics/2024/g4_8/

*Please note the above webinar time is in Pacific Time.