2018 NCTM Regional Conference in Kansas City
I realize that I do too much of the talking and thinking in my math classroom. To learn ways to address this, I recently attended the NCTM Regional Conference in Kansas City. With 150+ sessions to choose from, I easily found a session in each time slot that fit my interests and the levels of math that I teach.
As I learned valuable strategies to shift more talking and thinking to my students, session facilitators also showed me ways to answer these related questions when planning lessons:
- Are the problems and activities both challenging and accessible to all?
- What are some ways for everyone in the room to see and discuss multiple approaches at once?
- How do we turn talking and thinking into reflection and learning?
- How do formative assessments help refine student thinking?
- Where can I go online for ongoing support and ideas?
I am so thankful for the teachers who led each session, and for the opportunity to connect with math teachers from across the Midwest to process what we were learning. It was an incredible learning experience for me.
If you have never attended a math conference (or it’s been a while), I strongly suggest making it a regular goal. A great place to start would be the MCTM conference in Duluth in the spring! The conference is Friday – Saturday, April 26-27 at the DECC in Duluth. Check out the MCTM website for more information! Come to learn or come to share!
Brian O’Connell
Centennial High School