I am on a mission to support teachers to create thriving mathematical communities that help both educators and children bring their own mathematical curiosity and creativity to life. In math classes children develop essential foundation skills not only for math,  but also social emotional understandings that extend beyond the realm of math, preparing them for success in all aspects of life.

My beliefs and approach is deeply rooted in constructivist learning theories and Reggio-inspired philosophies, which place children as active participants in their mathematical journeys. Catherine Fosnot describes mathematizing as “The activity of structuring, modeling and interpreting one's lived world, mathematically.” 

Identity, mindset, communication and collaboration are the pillars that underpin my vision for guiding students towards a holistic and impactful math education.

Identity 

I believe that building a strong mathematical identity is the foundation of a child's math journey. Sometimes we must believe in the child as a mathematician, before they can believe in or see themselves as one. Creating an environment where every student feels valued, capable, and seen as a mathematician is essential to their identity. When students believe in themselves, their confidence soars, and they can fearlessly tackle math challenges, knowing they belong in the mathematical world.

Teaching Tip: Co- Create an anchor chart about ‘What is a mathematician?’ with the children. Come back to it often and add on as a class community, collaboratively deepening an understanding of what a mathematician is in your space. Revisit this chart throughout the year finding and highlighting examples of it in action.

 Photos Contributed by Ashley Watson and Parvina Panghali 

Mindset 

Cultivating growth mindsets, where students see mistakes as stepping stones to success and challenges as opportunities for growth is another essential component to creating a thriving mathematical community. As educators, we have the opportunity to explicitly teach this mindset and the workings of our brain to children. We have the opportunity to use pedagogies that bring this explicit teaching to life over and over again, allowing children to deeply understand the growth mindset in action in their own lived worlds. 

Teaching Tip: After you have explicitly taught a growth mindset with the children, notice and name it in action. When you publicly celebrate a growth mindset in your students, children are likely to support one another in that mindset and also notice and name it. For example, if you see a student preserving through a challenge note, “{child’s name} I noticed you persevering in solving that problem. You had a great growth mindset. I could see your brain growing bigger!”

Communication  

Oral communication is foundational to mathematical understandings. Emphasizing the importance of clear and effective communication both orally and through mathematical representation encourages children to articulate their mathematical thinking, share ideas, and justify their reasoning. This dialogic classroom approach can foster a culture of open dialogue and mutual respect. When we celebrate the diversity of perspectives, meaningful discussions deepen mathematical understanding for all children. Effective communication fuels collaboration, enriching the learning experience for everyone.

Teaching Tip: Use A LOT of turn and talks. Allowing children to construct their own understandings, share perspectives and practice their listening and speaking skills within a whole group structure, creates a stepping stone for them to also mirror these behaviours more independently. I love to use the structures in Hands Down, Speak Out book to explicitly teach turn and talk expectations and revisit them throughout the year.

Collaboration

Working and learning together lies at the heart of how mathematicians operate. Learning thrives in a collaborative community where ideas are shared, insights are gained, and challenges are conquered together. Collaboration is where the other three pillars come to life. Children have opportunities to build their identity (bringing their own strengths and mathematical perspectives to problem solving), work through hard problems (putting mindset into action) and communicate their ideas. Through collaborative problem-solving, children develop essential social and cognitive skills that extend beyond math class. 

Teaching Tip: Use games at the start of the school year to highlight working together. Following a few minutes of game play, engage in a whole class debrief. Ask the children, “What went well when you were playing together?” Celebrate the successes. Then ask, “What was tricky about playing together?” Involve the students in problem-solving and trying out suggested solutions. For example, if they are having trouble hearing their partner during game play because it got too loud, create a plan as a class community, as to how you will make sure everyone’s voice can be heard. Ask the children what suggestions they have to offer and then invite them to try again, putting those suggestions into action. 

What teacher moves do you employ in your classroom to bring these pillars to life? I would love to hear how you are creating a thriving mathematical community in your class!