High School Reimagined, Revitalized, and Relevant

Happy October, BOLD Mathematics Leaders of NCSM! 

 

A big thank you to those of you who came to present, volunteer, or otherwise participate in NCSM’s 56thAnnual Conference in Chicago last month! It was the largest NCSM gathering since before Covid with nearly 1,800 attendees. We had an amazing time learning with and from you, networking, and strengthening our efforts to serve educators and students well. Thank you again and we hope to see you in Atlanta for the 57th! 

 

Consider submitting a session idea to present in Atlanta – the call for proposals now open

Whether you were able to come to Chicago or not, you may have seen that a new resource was released on September 25th that you and others in your districts and states need to know about. NCSM worked in partnership with the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) and the Association of State Supervisors of Mathematics (ASSM) to produce High School Reimagined Revitalized and Relevantand I am excited to give you a few highlights about what this book provides for BOLD mathematics education leaders. 

 

First and foremost, I am proud that this resource advocates for learning in high school mathematics becoming student centered and connected across courses. Students need to see the lasting value in their mathematics courses. They should learn not only skills, but that mathematics is a tool that helps them to build knowledge and satisfy their curiosity about what is going on around them in the world through modeling approaches. 

Opportunity for Leaders: Delve into the crosscutting concepts and mathematical and statistical modeling cycles presented in the book. How can you reimagine instruction so that these ideas are the focus? How do students experience the crosscutting ideas and engage in modeling?

 

Second, the book makes an incredibly important point that students should engage in mathematics learning across all four years of high school, and that the learning should expand rather than narrow as they advance to higher-level courses. Opportunities should increase for students, allowing them to study mathematics that furthers their interests and supports their career and life aspirations. Calculus provides great learning for many who are interested in STEM careers, and there is so much more mathematics that is useful to everyone regardless of their aspirations. Data Science, Statistics, and Quantitative Reasoning are also valuable areas in mathematics worthy of rigorous study that could serve learners with varied ambitions well. 

 

Opportunity for Leaders: Encourage the implementation of learning opportunities that allow students to engage in relevant, rigorous mathematics studies that advance their motivation and helps them to better reach their goals. How do you know what mathematics courses hold interest of each student? How will you ensure high-quality experiences with high expectations for all students?

 

Lastly, the book’s final chapter is about continuing the work. I don’t think it is a secret that we have some serious work to do in reimagining high school mathematics so it is relevant and revitalized for our students. Meaningful change that improves our system for all students will take critical conversations and deep commitment from leaders at all levels of the system, including policymakers, state and district leadership, professional organizations, and educators. BOLD mathematics leaders will lead the charge for change and inspire others to act through their roles.

Opportunity for Leaders: Advocate for urgency around change that improves student experiences and increases opportunity for learning in high school mathematics. How are you conversing with other leaders and educators about assessing current state and cultivating a common vision for improvement? How are you empowering varied stakeholders to understand the importance of their contributions in progress toward goals? 

 

Consider this your call to action!  NCSM, NCTM, and ASSM came together to send a message about the need for meaningful change for our high school students, now and into the future. We hope these recommendations resonate with you as a leader and that you utilize the tools and resources available through this book and other NCSM resources to create better experiences for your students.  

 

— Katey Arrington, NCSM President

 

Thanks for the Memories, Chicago!

 

We enjoyed meeting so many of you at our 56th Annual Conference in Chicago last month!

 

The conference was full of memorable sessions, interesting conversations, and lots of fun. 

 

Thank you to our conference committee, especially conference chair Grace Anne McKay and first vice president Jenny Novak, for the passionate work needed to put on a successful conference. 

 

Congratulations go out to award recipients:

  • Dan Meyer received the Ross Taylor/Glenn Gilbert National Leadership Award
  • Lynne Godfrey received the Kay Gilliland Equity Lecture Series Award
  • Avinash Ghosh, Erin McClure, Maggie McHugh, Vi Tamargo, and Rachel Benoff received the Iris Carl Travel Grant Award
 

Virtual Coaching Labs

2024-2025

 

NCSM is excited to announce the return of Virtual Coaching Labs!

 

Virtual Coaching Labs are 90-minute virtual sessions in which leaders and coaches learn about mathematics coaching, hear from featured speakers, and have the opportunity to practice coaching skills.

  • November 19: Amy Lucenta and Grace Kelemanik
  • December 10: Courtney K. Baker and Melinda Knapp
  • January 7: Mona Toncheff
  • January 28: Barbara Dougherty and Nicora Placa
  • February 18: Dionne Aminata and Deborah Peart Crayton
  • March 4: Abel Maestas

Each session will highlight a specific aspect of coaching. During each session, participants will have the opportunity to practice coaching skills in real time through role play experiences in small groups.

 

Save the Dates! Registration will open soon.

 

Proposal Submissions Open

 

We're accepting proposal submissions for our 57th Annual Conference happening October 2025 in Atlanta, GA. 

 

At our Annual Conference, we invite you to share your learnings, change strategies, and leadership efforts in fostering and motivating high-quality mathematics teaching and learning daily for all students.

 

We invite proposals that focus on the following conference strands.

  • Accelerating Student Learning
  • Elevating Mathematics Instruction Through Bold Leadership
  • Equity Rising: Transformative Practices in Mathematics Education
  • Lifting Teacher Practice Through Coaching

Learn more and submit your proposal here. Submission Deadline is Dec 2.

 

NCSM Board Nominations Open

 

Capitalize on your NCSM Membership and Leadership. Consider running for an open Board position or nominating someone for a position.

 

All nominations are due by November 15. We encourage and welcome a diverse pool of nominees.

 

Open positions:

  • Second Vice President
  • Regional Director, Central 1 (Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio)
  • Regional Director, Eastern 1 (Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, Military AE: APO/FPO, New Hampshire, New York, Rhode Island, Vermont)
  • Regional Director, Southern 2 (Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas)


Learn more and nominate someone today.

 

Leading with Technology: Enhancing Mathematics for ALL Students

 

We believe that in order to develop all students’ mathematics proficiency, mathematics leaders must purposefully integrate appropriate technologies in the classroom to strengthen teaching practices, enhance the curriculum, attend to students’ diverse learning needs and better assess student learning.

 

This new position paper, Leading with Technology, offers a refreshed take on the use of technology in mathematics education. 

 

Read the full statement.

 

Save the Date!

NCSM Book Study 2025

 

Join us in a book study opportunity in the new year.

 

We'll be reading and discussing Rethinking Disability and Mathematics: A UDL Math Classroom Guide for Grades K–8 by Dr. Rachel Lambert.

 

Discussions will take place January 13 and February 10, 2025, at 8pm EST. Dr. Lambert will be in attendance to lead the discussion and answer your questions.

 

Save the dates now and feel free to start reading! More information, including registration info and Zoom links, will come soon.

 

NCSM Podcast

NCSM Inspiration!

Journal of Mathematics Education Leadership

Essential Actions Book Series

Position Papers

Coaching Corner

 

Thank you to our Conference sponsors!

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