Support for Educators

Welcome Letter

Dear Educator,

This summer, JoyMath is excited to offer a 5-week/5-day personalized professional learning journey (plus a Fall bonus check-in) for a small group of committed educators teaching upper elementary and middle grade mathematics. Rooted in curiosity, creativity, and joy, this course is designed to meet each teacher where they are, build confidence in math instruction, and cultivate a collaborative, reflective community of practice.

🌱 Course Structure

• Format: 5 synchronous Zoom sessions + 1 Fall follow-up session
• Length: Each session is 2 hours, with ~2 hours of between-session work (reading, reflection, and math practice)
• Tools Required: Computer with internet, Zoom, and Google Suite
• Feedback: Each session closes with a 5–10 min “Important Moments” reflection survey
• Living Syllabus: Built dynamically based on participant needs and feedback

🧠 What We’ll Explore Together

• Examining Student Thinking: Use student work and growth trajectories to meet learners where they are and move them forward.
• Assessment in Action: Learn to design and apply informal, classroom-based assessments that inform instruction at the individual, small-group, and whole-class level.
• The 8 Mathematical Practices: Understand, recognize, and name these practices in real classroom moments, helping students self-monitor their growth as mathematicians.
• Research-Based Instruction: Engage with high-quality, actionable strategies aligned with the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM).
• Universal Design for Learning (UDL): Explore ways to make math accessible, inclusive, and engaging for all students.
• Mathematical Identity and Mindset: Reflect on your own math story using a growth continuum tool and embrace mindset as a powerful tool for lifelong learning.

🧩 What to Expect in Each Session

• Hands-on math exploration using meaningful grade-level content
• Structured reflection on instructional choices and student engagement
• Opportunities to apply new tools and try math in multiple ways
• Optional and required readings that directly support your practice
• Shared digital resources and collaborative activities

🎯 Targeted Outcomes

• A ready-to-use collection of weekly math talks that emphasize data interpretation and representation
• A clear, efficient framework for analyzing student work both during and after lessons
• Tools and techniques to facilitate meaningful discourse and expand its definition using UDL principles
• A toolkit for ongoing assessment of both student and teacher learning
• A big-picture view of the mathematics learning continuum across multiple grades
• Activities and strategies for building positive student math identities, including your own
• Structures for celebrating student growth, building portfolios, and providing narrative feedback

⏳ Next Steps

Interested in joining or learning more? Please complete this short Google Form survey to share your experiences, strengths, goals, and current relationship with math. The survey also checks in about several possible reference books we might use together.

Your feedback will help shape the syllabus and session flow so it truly supports your team.

Once you and your teachers have had a chance to consider if this proposed Math PD course aligns with your needs and goals, I’ll gladly work with you all to coordinate dates and times that work across time zones. My ideal schedule is one day per week for 5 weeks, but we can also do a full week in August or select 5 different days that work for everyone.

Thank you for the opportunity to partner in this important work that benefits us all. I’m honored to support educators and excited to begin this journey together!

Warmly,
Tia Knuth
Founder, JoyMath LLC
joymath.me

📚 Reference Books (for summer 2025)

• Mathematical Mindsets (Jo Boaler)
• Catalyzing Change (NCTM)
• Taking Action (NCTM) for grades 6-8 and K-5
• Building Thinking Classrooms (Peter Liljedahl)
• Everything You Need for Mathematics Coaching (McGatha & Bay-Williams)