Winter 2014
Welcome to the Winter 2014 edition of the Math Resource Newsletter! In
this issue we start off with a focus on Mindset and the work of Dr. Jo
Boaler. She provides wonderful resources that promote reflection and
success for all students! Next, check out page 3 where we are announcing
new CPD courses rolling out this summer. Finally, we have included
articles, videos, and new resources for your professional development!
Happy reading!
Check out Jo Boaler’s work with
Mindset and Math without Anxiety!
Take a look at how Professor Jo Boaler works with
secondary school students in the inQbate at the
University of Sussex using Inquiry Based Learning
methods for mathematics.
The U.S. does not need fast
procedure executors
anymore. We need people
who are confident with
mathematics, who can
develop mathematical models
and predictions, and who can
justify, reason, communicate,
and problem solve.
-Jo Boaler
I see math as a way
of interpreting and
understanding the
world.
-Jo Boaler
Check out Jo Boaler’s
website for more
information on…
 How do People Learn Math – An
online course by Jo Boaler
 Publication: Teaching and Learning
Math
 What’s Math got to do with
it?/The Elephant in the Classroom
 What Do Timed Tests Do to Kids?
 Publication: Studies of
Mathematics and Gender
 The Importance of a Growth
Mindset in Math Classrooms
 Advice for Parents: Helping
Children with Math
 Inquiry Based Learning
 The Many Colors of Math
One last article from Jo Boaler…
―In mathematics education we suffer from
the widespread, distinctly American idea that
only some people can be ―math people.‖ This
idea has been disproved by scientific research
showing the incredible potential of the brain
to grow and adapt. But the idea that math is
hard, uninteresting, and accessible only to
―nerds‖ persists. This idea is made even more
damaging by harsh stereotypical thinking—
mathematics is for select racial groups and
men. This thinking, as well as the teaching
practices that go with it, have provided the
perfect conditions for the creation of a math
underclass.
-Jo Boaler
-excerpt from The Stereotypes About Math that
Hold Americans Back, The Atlantic
Curriculum Corner
Check out some of the new classes the Math Team is developing to help
teachers prepare for C2.0 curricula over the summer!
1 CPD
Credit!
Developing Student Understanding of Ratios and
Proportional Relationships
 Improve content and pedagogical
knowledge as you explore the
mathematical standards for ―Ratios
and Proportional Relationships‖
outlined by the CCSS for grades 6-8.
Enhancing Instruction
Enhancing Instruction
Look
for
in the Middle School
in the Geometry
summer
3 CPD
Mathematics Classroom classes on
Classroom Credits!
(C2.0 Math 6)
(C2.0 Geometry)
PDO on April
3 CPD
Credits!
7th!
 A blend of content and

Also, the team is
pedagogical knowledge while
planning trainings
exploring the standards for C2.0 this summer for our
new C2.0 courses!
Math 6
We’ll let you know
 An opportunity to plan with

more information as it
colleagues and earn CPD credit!
becomes
A blend of content and
pedagogical knowledge while
exploring the High School CC
standards for Geometry
An opportunity to plan with
colleagues and earn CPD credit!
available
Enhancing Instruction in the C2.0 Algebra I Classroom
3 CPD
Credits!
 A blend of content and pedagogical
knowledge while exploring the High
School CC standards for Algebra I
 An opportunity to plan with colleagues
and earn CPD credit!
More C2.0 Classes
Don’t forget some popular C2.0 classes we are already offering…
they are available on PDO now for Spring!
Look for these
classes now on
PDO! There
are 2 sections
of each!
Developing Student
Understanding of Fractions
and…
Developing Student
Understanding of Geometry
Both classes
are hybrid
courses! Look
for more info
on PDO!
Hey C2.0 Algebra teachers…Have you attended a CAP session?
The Community Algebra PLC sessions
offer C2.0 Algebra teachers an
opportunity to collaborate and plan
together! Plan to attend one of our
future sessions
Next CAP session: January 28th
Time: 3:30-5:30
Place: Blair HS and Clarksburg HS
(choose which is most convenient for you!)
Professional Learning Library
Resources to spur reflection and inspire life-long learners…
Study shows students perform better
when they understand how to learn
Top teaching and learning trends focus
on how students learn
Why the Brain Benefits From Reflection
in Learning
Are video games the key to engaging
students in STEM education?
With Apps, Children Can Play the Game
of Math
Georgia school uses video game to teach
math
360 Degree Math program encourages
students to stand up for problem solving
Study: Math anxiety can pass from parent
to child
Middle-school math club earns Guinness
World Record certification
Imagery: A Key to Understanding Math
How teachers can help students get in
the "aspirational zone"
3 Strategies to Promote Independent
Thinking in Classrooms
Teacher blogs that have taught us a few things, made us laugh,
made us cry, and reminded us that we are not alone in this
sometimes stress-inducing, always awe-inspiring profession!
Check out this Top 20 List of Teacher Blogs!
Here is another Blog from
Education Week we think is
worth a read…
Anxious Students?
Amping Up May Be
Better Than Calming
Down, Study Finds
Need some resources for Student Discourse?
Check out some of these…
An article
from NCTM
Mathematics
Teacher…
A video
series
from
Inside
Mathematics
…
A bunch
of videos
from The
Teaching
Channel
…
Math is Everywhere…
Artist Simon Beck creates
masterpieces in the snow
along the frozen lakes of
Savoie, France. Each work of
art is typically the size of 3
soccer fields!
Read more and see more
photographs here!
What do you notice?
What do you wonder?
Two new Sites for Common Core Resources
―PowerUp WHAT WORKS‖ provides free evidencebased resources to elevate your professional learning. We
invite you to choose your path and explore our team and
research, evidence-based strategies, and tested resources.
―Math at the Core: Middle School‖ will
gather more than 420 digital resources
that focus on critical middle school math
concepts. Funded by CPB, these
resources are designed for middle school
students of diverse learning styles and
backgrounds and are aligned with CCSS
in Mathematics for grades 5-8.
Looking for a little pick-me-up?
Read this article for a little appreciation!
Every day, a teacher takes the stage to
conduct a symphony of human
development. A teacher must
simultaneously explain the content
correctly, make the material
interesting, ensure that students are
staying on task and understanding the
material, and be ready to deal with the
curve balls that will be thrown at her
every 15 seconds—without
flinching—for five hours. If, for some
reason, she is not able to inspire,
educate, and relate to 30 students at
once, she has to be ready to get them
back on track, because no matter
what students say or do to detract
from the lesson, they want structure,
they want to learn, and they want to
be prepared for life.
-Ryan Fuller
This month’s newsletter brought to you by your friends at the
DCI-Math Implementation and Development Team.
Director-Ed Nolan
Supervisor-Heather Jones
Give us your feedback!
A lot of thought goes into each newsletter and we would love to hear what has
been helpful to you and what you would still like to see! Also, please let us know
if there is anything you would like to share. We know the teachers within MCPS
do fabulous things every day…let’s celebrate our accomplishments!
Please email us about what you would like to see in the Spring 2014 newsletter.