Last Friday, the district dedicated time to math professional development and teacher collaboration across grades 6-9, with a focus on strengthening conceptual understanding and student success. The morning featured math consultant Dr. Heidi Sabnani, who led a 6th-grade model demonstration lesson followed by an educator debrief to analyze active mathematical thinking and classroom implementation strategies. Photos below capture some of the great work by students.
The afternoon began with educators working on a mathematical task at the whiteboards, mirroring the experience students have in their classrooms. Educators then took part in a Concept Mapping workshop focused on Illustrative Mathematics unit planning and student reflection. The session highlighted insights from educational researcher John Hattie on the role of conceptual connections in mathematics, showing how student-created concept maps serve as visual tools to deepen understanding, support active learning, and structure test preparation.
To close the day, teachers worked in grade-level teams to design custom concept maps for upcoming units, ensuring alignment and ready-to-use classroom strategies. The day was a great example of collaboration.