Learning Forward
Equity and excellence in teaching and learning.
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Teacher immersion in math practices adds up for students
By Sue Chapman and Holly Burwell
April 2025
In classrooms that follow research-based guidelines for math instruction, teaching practices look very different today than they did a few decades ago. The standards of most states and provinces are consistent with the Standards of Mathematical Practice, listed in the box below, that were developed in 2010 by the National Governors Association Center for Best Practices (NGA) and the Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSO). Many of today’s educators learned math in elementary and secondary schools with approaches very different from those outlined in the current standards, and it is difficult to teach for proficiencies we have not yet developed in ourselves. This has been identified as a major challenge in efforts to implement high-quality curricula and transform teaching methods (Short & Hirsh, 2022).
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References
13 Eight habits of highly effective math students (and the teachers who teach them). Corwin.
Burwell, H., & Chapman, S. (2024). Power up your math community: A 10-month practice-based professional learning guide, grades K-5. Corwin.
Gonzalez, L. (2023). Bad at math? Dismantling harmful beliefs that hinder equitable mathematics education. Corwin.
Learning Forward. (2022). Standards for Professional Learning.
Sue Chapman (SueChapmanLearning@gmail.com) provides professional learning and coaching support to teachers and leaders nationwide and teaches preservice teachers at the University of Houston Clear Lake. She is the co-author of Power Up Your Math Community: A 10-Month Practice-Based Professional Learning Guide (Corwin, 2025) and Eight Habits of Highly Effective Math Students (and the Teachers Who Teach Them) (Corwin, 2025). Sue is passionate about building capacity in educators, teams, schools, and districts.
Holly Burwell (hollyburwell@inspiredmathematicsmt.com) provides professional learning and coaching support to teachers and leaders nationwide through her business, Inspired Mathematics and Corwin Publishing. She is the coauthor of Power Up Your Math Community: A 10-Month Practice-Based Professional Learning Guide (Corwin, 2025) and Eight Habits of Highly Effective Math Students (and the Teachers Who Teach Them) (Corwin, 2025). Holly is on a mission to bring joy in learning and doing math for all teachers, leaders, students, and communities.
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