#INspirEDmath

As we support grade level instruction, it is imperative that we are mindful of instructional strategies that reinforce the goals from September's newsletter, including building positive math identities and a culture of feedback.

This month, we'll dig into the Five Productive Mindsets and Practices explained by the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) and share additional resources and opportunities available to Indiana's math educators!

Disrupt a linear view of learning that creates barriers by suggesting a skill must be "mastered" before accessing other content. Allow students to make connections to the larger frame of mathematics without the fear of "knowing it all." Consider implementing student reflections at the end of lessons or units or have them create content maps that show the relationships between prior and current content.

Disrupt negative language and views that affect students' identity, agency, and authority in learning mathematics. Now is a crucial time to allow students to see themselves as capable thinkers and doers of mathematics. Try using classroom time to develop mathematical identities by completing a beliefs inventory or writing a "Mathography", where students can have the chance to share with you their previous math history and where they would like to progress.

Disrupt teaching that creates the message that mathematics is a list of isolated procedures. Planning authentic classroom activities that give students the chance to explore a mathematical concept once it is introduced and connect it to other concepts they may have seen before deepens their understanding. Using a strategy like Notice and Wonder can be a great place to start for these conversations in your classroom.

Disrupt using feedback that is a single score or grade that is given after the learning has happened. Create a culture in which there is a chance for you to provide both written and verbal feedback as well as a chance for the co-creation of rubrics with clear expectations. Meaningful relationships with students are the foundation for trust and constructive feedback. The shared experience in your classroom can serve as the building blocks for a mathematical community.

Disrupt the view of assessment that is limited to testing students. Provide opportunities for students to help others, share their big mathematical ideas, and to work through challenging misconceptions. Try creating multiple entry points within your tasks so that students have a way to move their learning forward. Examples of these are reading a diary from a mathematician and then writing their own entries, answering a philosophical question surrounding the topic for the lesson, or even acting out an example to give context.

To learn more, watch this webinar by NCTM.

The Math, Science, and Computer Science frameworks are now available in the Learning Lab. Early Learning Foundations Guidance is also available. To create a free Learning Lab account, visit the LINK Portal or the Learning Lab website directly and use your school email address to log in.

Math educator and co-founder of Open Middle, Robert Kaplinsky works to create problems that allow students to access their critical thinking and problem solving skills. These problems facilitate productive struggle, an effective tool for promoting accessible opportunities in your classroom. This problem, called Time Twister, has students create three different times on a clock using the digits zero to nine only one time each.

Kaplinsky also has problems for secondary classrooms. This example asks students to use the digits one to nine at most once each, to fill in the blanks to represent a data set with a specified interquartile range, range, and skew.

The window for STEM School Certification applications is closing soon! The updated STEM Certification Guide, STEM Evaluation Rubric, and other resources are currently available here. For any questions or to schedule your pre-application meeting, please contact Dana Hartzell, STEM Specialist.

Grants are now available to build capacity for high schools to offer the Indiana PRIME math transitions course during the 2022-2023 school year. The Indiana PRIME math transitions course is intended for students who have currently achieved the minimum mathematics requirements for a Core 40 Diploma but may need additional instruction before pursuing credit-bearing courses at a postsecondary institution. Additional information can be found here. Applications are due Friday, October 29. An informational webinar will be hosted in the Learning Lab on Tuesday, October 5 at 10 a.m. ET. Click here to register. Please contact MacKenzie Cox with additional questions.

Students, families, and educators are invited to the Innovation Showcase at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Saturday, October 23! This event, held in conjunction with the Indy Autonomous Challenge, will provide students with the unique opportunity to learn more about STEM and innovations behind autonomous vehicles up close, followed by a unique opportunity to watch these cars zoom around the famous oval track (without drivers) in an all-new challenge. More information is available here, including information regarding how to register for free tickets. Contact Rebecca Estes with any questions.

Nominations are now open for the Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching (PAEMST). This award is the highest honor bestowed by the U.S. government specifically for K–12 science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and/or computer science teaching. Awardees serve as models for their colleagues, inspiration to their communities, and leaders in the improvement of STEM education. Since 1983, more than 5,100 teachers have been recognized for their contributions to STEM education. Up to 108 teachers are recognized each year.

Presidential Awardees receive:

•A citation signed by the President of the United States

•A trip to Washington, D.C. to attend a series of recognition events and professional development opportunities

•A $10,000 award from the National Science Foundation

•Access to a network of award-winning teachers from across the country

For more information, visit www.paemst.org.

CodeHS is partnering with IDOE to provide free, month-long Java, JavaScript, Python, and Cybersecurity online bootcamps. These bootcamps are designed to support current and future high school computer science teachers as they build their programming skills and content knowledge. A certificate of completion and stipend are available for those who complete the program. The fall 2021 coding bootcamps begin Tuesday, October 12. Visit codehs.com/indianapd for additional information and to sign up.

Save the date for the seventh-annual Indiana STEM Education Conference on January 13, 2022! The 2022 conference will include in-person and virtual participation options. The theme for the 2022 conference is “STEM Education: Making Giant Leaps.” Click here for more information and to register. Registration opens Monday, October 4.

Assistant Director of STEM and Computer Science

Email: jkoressel@doe.in.gov
Website: in.gov/doe
Phone: 317-234-6702
Twitter: @Indiana_CS

Secondary Mathematics Specialist

Email: macox@doe.in.gov
Website: in.gov/doe
Phone: 317-234-3971
Twitter: @mathwithmscox

Elementary STEM Specialist

Email: dhartzell@doe.in.gov
Website: in.gov/doe
Phone: 317-234-5595
Twitter: @hartzell_dana