NCSM Summer 2023

TABLE OF CONTENTS BOLD MATHEMATICS LEADERSHIP: REFLECTIONS ON/IDEAS FOR LEADING DURING THESE CRITICAL TIMES Mirrors and Windows. By Paul Gray ................................................................................. 1 Are You an Advocate? Strategies That Support Effective Advocacy. By Katey Arrington .................................................................................................................... 4 BOARD MEMBERS AT WORK 2022–23 Board Listings ..................................................................................................... 6 Summer Reading for Mathematics Leaders. NCSM Regional Directors from US Eastern 1, US Eastern 2, US Southern 1, and US Southern 2 offer suggestions for summer reading for mathematics leaders. ......... 6 Links to Volunteer and Order Membership…page 12 and NCTM Report. By Kris Cunningham…page 17 EMPOWER MATHEMATICS LEADERS: CONNECT, LEARN, AND HONOR Have You Registered for the 55th NCSM Annual Conference? Registration and Speaker Information. By Karen Spalding and Georgina Rivera ............. 14 Shining the Limelight on NCSM Affiliate: IA-NCSM. By Heather Crawford-Ferre .. 15 Professional Learning Opportunities: NCSM Summer Leadership Academies ........................................................................ 16 Learning from Leaders: NCSM Regional Directors from US Eastern Region 1 and US Central 1 found leaders in their regions to discuss what motivates them, their most memorable mentors, and impactful professional development .......................... 17 NCSM Awards News. Kay Gilliland Equity Lecture Award Recipient, Iris Carl Travel Grants Recipients, and Reflections on the 54th NCSM Annual Conference (by Holly Tate). By Brian Buckhalter and Astrid Fossum .................................................................................. 23 JMEL Call for Manuscripts ............................................................................................... 24 About Your NCSM Inspiration! ......................................................................................... 25 –1– I HAVE A FASCINATION WITH WINDOWS. Maybe it goes back to childhood (don’t most things that scare or comfort us that we can’t explain?) where I remember sitting in the living room and looking out the window. I remember the living room window at my grandparents’ house on Lake Conroe, north of Houston. The neighborhood was still rural in the1980s and across the street was a wooded lot. In the summer when I would spend time up there, the grass along the side of the road was filled with wildflowers. The evening light hit the trees and wildflowers just right and seared that imagery into my memory. As an adult, I find myself looking out the kitchen window a lot, perhaps because I’ve spent half my adult life washing dishes. In Dallas, my kitchen window looks out onto neighbors’ homes with tall pine trees behind them. It faces east and I can see glorious sunrises through that window. In Provincetown, Massachusetts, the kitchen window faces southeast and during the summer affords a view of our patio, the neighbor’s house, and some trees. When it’s open a (sometimes) gentle ocean breeze fills the house with clean salty air. Windows give us a way to sit in our comfort and view a different scene. In Texas, summertime window viewing means that you can sit in the comfort of air conditioning while looking at nature’s splendor. And as an added bonus, you don’t have to swat mosquitoes. Cultural Windows Like the windows in our homes, cultural windows give us the opportunity to view other cultures while seated comfortably in our own. Rudine Sims FROM THE NCSM PRESIDENT… PAUL GRAY (@Dr_PaulGray) MIRRORS AND WINDOWS But when I wasn’t working, I was usually at a window looking down at Earth. —Sally Ride BOLD LEADERSHIP IN MATHEMATICS EDUCATION Inspiration! iration! CLICK TO RETURN TO PG 1 CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE PAUL GRAY, JR. SUMMER 2023 ı VOLUME 53, NUMBER 4

BOLD MATHEMATICS LEADERSHIP: REFLECTIONS ON/IDEAS FOR LEADING DURING THESE CRITICAL TIMES s u m m e r 2 0 2 3 –2– m a t h e d l e a d e r s h i p . o r g m a t h e d l e a d e r s h i p . o r g –3– s u m m e r 2 0 2 3 Bishop, a literacy researcher, developed the metaphor of windows, mirrors, and sliding glass doors to show how students interact with literature (1990). Sometimes, a story serves as a mirror when the reader sees themselves in the context. For me, this could be a story about a large Southern family reunion. Other times, the story serves as a window when the reader looks into the world of a different context from one in which they experience life while remaining comfortably in their own context. For me, this could be an episode of “I Love Lucy” where they live in an urban apartment and take taxicabs everywhere. I grew up in the suburbs of Houston and had no concept of such things. In yet another instance, a story could serve as a sliding glass door when the reader opens the glass and steps into the other context. Rochelle Gutierrez (2012) brought the notion of windows and mirrors into mathematics. Every “real world” task that we place before students has someone’s culture in it. For some students in our classrooms, that context is a mirror in which students can see themselves and their culture. For other students, that context is a window into which students can look into another culture. Both are important. Students need to be able to see themselves in mathematics as well as see students who don’t look and sound like them positioned as capable doers of mathematics. The word culture means many different things. When I write about culture, I mean the way that we live our lives, including the foods we eat, the way we dress, the way we arrange and decorate our homes, and the music we listen to. I also mean deeper ideas like how we interact with people around us, our worldview, and the unspoken norms and guidelines (hidden rules, if you will) about how we go about our business in the world. These are all elements of culture and how culture plays out around us. Telling Our Stories I’ve written quite a bit about how we make meaning from stories. My academic heritage includes Canadian scholars D. Jean Clandinin and F. Michael Connelly, who pioneered frameworks for how teachers construct their own personal practical knowledge about teaching through experience and make sense of those experiences through stories and narrative ways of knowing. Cheryl J. Craig has done extensive research into how teachers construct knowledge through their interactions with one another. Teachers create practical knowledge and knowledge of teaching when they reflect on their own stories of teaching. When teachers reflect together on their individual stories and their shared stories, they construct knowledge in a professional learning community. That’s why the NCSM 2023 Annual Conference, Mirrors and Windows: Stories of Bold Math Leadership, is so important. We have over 200 speakers who will share their stories through a variety of presentations. Some of these speakers will tell their individual stories. Some of these speakers will stand alongside colleagues and tell their shared stories. As they do, you will have the opportunity to listen to and learn. Some of their stories will be a mirror for you and you will see yourself in their work. Some of their stories will be a window for you and you will get a glimpse into a professional context that is different from your own. For example, my teaching background is as a high school mathematics teacher. I’ve worked with elementary and middle school teachers and leaders as well and am perfectly comfortable in the content and pedagogy of K–12 school mathematics. But deep in my soul, I will always FROM THE NCSM PRESIDENT (CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS PAGE) CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE

BOLD MATHEMATICS LEADERSHIP: REFLECTIONS ON/IDEAS FOR LEADING DURING THESE CRITICAL TIMES m a t h e d l e a d e r s h i p . o r g –3– s u m m e r 2 0 2 3 identify as a high school mathematics teacher. When I hear a speaker talk about her experiences working with teenagers or with high school teachers to improve their craft, that story resonates with me and I see myself in her work. Her story is a mirror for me. If she is a white speaker from a middle-class background, then the resonance is stronger because we have a shared cultural connection. Suppose the next session that I attend is a panel led by Hispanic scholars. As I listen to them share their experiences as Hispanic students with nonHispanic teachers or as one of a few (if not the only) Hispanic scholars in their school or university, those are experiences I do not share. Most of the teachers I had in my own K–12 education, and indeed university education, were of the same ethnicity as me. As a teacher in public K-12 school districts, I had plenty of colleagues who were of the same ethnicity as me. We all lived in a suburban or urban area so we had similar lived experiences. The Hispanic scholars’ stories become a window for me to listen to their experiences and learn from them. So, What Can We Do? Join us in Washington, DC, this fall! We will gather on October 28-31, 2023, just after the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) Annual Conference and Exposition. Lacey Robinson with UnboundEd will launch our learning on Saturday evening, October 28. Then, we will enjoy full days of breakout sessions on Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday, October 29-31. Tuesday afternoon we will wrap up with a closing keynote address from Ken Williams. There is a lot you can do to maximize your conference time and enhance your own professional learning experience. • Register today. Use the link on the NCSM Website [https://www.mathedleadership. org/55th-ncsm-annual-conference/] to register for the conference today. Bring a colleague or two! Then, when you get back home, you can plan together to implement the new ideas you’ve picked up at the conference. • Share your stories. One of the best things about the NCSM conference is the networking opportunities you’ll have. We have structured opportunities like our exhibit hall reception early Sunday evening and our sponsored receptions on Sunday and Monday evenings. Almost every culture has a tradition of fellowship over a shared meal and NCSM is no different with our breakfast and lunch functions. You’ll also bump into people during sessions and other places during the conference. Be prepared to share your own story and listen to others as they share theirs. Seek out someone with different experiences so that their stories become a window for you! • Make a plan—pregame, during the conference, and post-conference. Conferences can be organic learning experiences and you should leave room for that to happen. Like a successful vacation experience, start with some prep work before you arrive at the conference and then leave some room for flexibility. ◊ Begin with the end in mind and think about what you want to take home with you from the conference. What are the big ideas you want to learn more about? What ideas align with your district or organization’s initiatives and goals? Look for those sessions and topics. ◊ Review the program online once it’s posted and identify some speakers you want to hear from and some topics to learn more about. Use tools like Google or social media to learn more about the speakers and their recent work. Read some of their articles and books (bring the book with you and get it signed!). If you’re coming to the conference with colleagues, make a plan to FROM THE NCSM PRESIDENT (CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS PAGE)

BOLD MATHEMATICS LEADERSHIP: REFLECTIONS ON/IDEAS FOR LEADING DURING THESE CRITICAL TIMES s u m m e r 2 0 2 3 –4– m a t h e d l e a d e r s h i p . o r g m a t h e d l e a d e r s h i p . o r g –5– s u m m e r 2 0 2 3 SO, YOU HAVE DECIDED IT’S TIME TO BE BOLDER IN YOUR LEADERSHIP WORK. You have added “advocate” to your identity, and you are feeling urgency around creating meaningful change. What do you do now? After reviewing several advocacy frameworks, I want to offer you some common themes in recommended strategies for your consideration while making your plans. These strategies are presented in a general way, so you might have to do some thinking about what they look like for you, in your context, and around the issues you hope to impact. These advocacy strategies may overlap and interconnect as you work. For example, you may be able to define your problem more deeply if you have built strong relationships with those impacted. You may find yourself more motivated for persistence if you have thought about who you need to influence and have identified your interim and long-term goals clearly. Define the problem. What exactly is the issue? Albert Einstein once said, “If I were given an hour to save the planet, I would spend 59 minutes defining the problem and one minute resolving it.” It is strongly advised in any advocacy effort to seek a deep understanding of the problem before moving to identify solutions. Act with genuine curiosity and conduct thorough examinations. Seek multiple perspectives, especially from those who you are trying to help. Spending time and effort exploring and defining the problem and why it is a problem will lead you to better, more effective solution pathways. Tailor to your audiences. Who do you need to influence or persuade for change to happen? The ARE YOU AN ADVOCATE? STRATEGIES THAT SUPPORT EFFECTIVE ADVOCACY By Katey Arrington I NCSM President Elect KATEY ARRINGTON CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE attend some sessions together and some sessions apart so that you can come back and compare notes. ◊ If you’re an introvert like me, plan time to put your game face on and intentionally network. I’ve met some amazing friends and colleagues in the most unlikely of places. Also, plan some downtime so you can process the day and recharge. Your brain will be full. ◊ Once you get home, how will you make sense of what you learned? What reflection tools can you use? What resources did you gather while at the conference? What ideas need to be shared with colleagues? Thinking about my role as a mathematics teacher and leader, conferences have been milestones in my professional learning journey. One of the things I look forward to each year at conferences is seeing old friends and colleagues and meeting new ones. State and national conferences help me to build my own professional network. I also get the chance to meet people whose work I’ve been following. I also get to learn from new people whose work I don’t yet know. I’m already thinking about the stories that I will include in my presentation at NCSM’s Annual Conference. I’m also eagerly awaiting learning from the stories my colleagues will tell. = FROM THE NCSM PRESIDENT (CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS PAGE) Bishop, R. S. (1990). Mirrors, windows, and sliding glass doors. Perspectives, 1(3), ix–xi. Gutierrez, R. (2012). Embracing Nepantla: Rethinking “knowledge” and its use in mathematics teaching. REDIMAT—Journal of Research in Mathematics Education, 1(1), 29–56.

BOLD MATHEMATICS LEADERSHIP: REFLECTIONS ON/IDEAS FOR LEADING DURING THESE CRITICAL TIMES m a t h e d l e a d e r s h i p . o r g –5– s u m m e r 2 0 2 3 identity of the stakeholder(s) you need on your side can help you to determine the most effective approaches to move your advocacy forward. Can you make change by focusing on the formal decision makers for the issue, or do you need the support of a section of the public to join you in advocating? For example, sometimes a district issue needs to be addressed directly with administrators or the school board, whereas other times you need to earn the vote of a sector of the public, like the parents or voters in a community. It may be advantageous to connect with influencers in your area, such as community and business leaders, advocacy organizations, advisors, and even the media to help you think about how to best define and reach the indispensable audiences. “It can be difficult to speak truth to power. Circumstances, however, have made doing so increasingly necessary.”— Aberjhani Delineate your desired outcomes and align actions. How far do you want to go with your advocacy and what actions will move your audience to that goal? You may want to increase awareness about your focus issue, why it is a problem, and possible solutions. If you are aiming to broaden understanding, your actions may include providing general information to your audience, such as handing out brochures or creating a website. You may not be satisfied with only building awareness, though, or maybe awareness is already high, and you seek instead to increase the willingness of your audience to act. In that case, your actions may include the development of knowledge and skills that are needed to make the change and more targeted, regular messages of why change moves us toward reaching our values and better experiences and how they can contribute. Finally, you may be looking to see your audience not just aware, and not just willing to act, but acting in their capacity to make the desired changes. In this case, your actions may be focused on mobilizing members of the community and building coalitions to influence decision-makers to create tangible change. You may choose to define interim and long-term outcomes for your advocacy, and then align your planned actions to move your audiences to those outcomes accordingly. Build Relationships. Why should your community trust or listen to you about this issue? It is imperative to foster relationships. Get to know the audiences you are trying to reach, including members of the community, influencers, and decision-makers. Establishing that you are working with them for meaningful solutions will go a long way. Form your identity as a trusted advisor who is working in their best interest by providing direct and honest feedback with a genuine desire for being their advocate on this issue. If change were easy, advocacy wouldn’t be necessary. Effective Advocacy takes intentional and thoughtful planning and action, and plenty of persistence. Have you clearly defined your problem? Who do you need to reach and what are the outcomes you desire from your advocacy? What actions can you take to make it happen? Start where you are, put your best thinking into your advocacy strategy, and do not give up! You are a BOLD leader, and you will make a difference. = “Power concedes nothing without a demand. It never did and it never will.” —Frederick Douglass ARE YOU AN ADVOCATE? (CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS PAGE) Chen, J. (2023, January 18). Due diligence. Investopedia. Retrieved April 1, 2023, from https://www.investopedia.com/terms/d/duediligence.asp Coffman, J., & Beer, T. (2015). Advocacy strategy framework: A tool for articulating an advocacy theory of change. In Center for Evaluation and Innovation. Jaramillo, C. (n.d.). 5 steps to effective advocacy. FIU News. https://news.fiu.edu/2021/five-steps-to-effective-advocacy NBC News (n.d.). Defining problems: The most important business skill you’ve never been taught. https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna56125046 World Health Organization (2012). Advocacy step 7: Developing and implementing the advocacy plan. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK195418/#advocacystep7.s3

BOARD MEMBERS AT WORK s u m m e r 2 0 2 3 –6– m a t h e d l e a d e r s h i p . o r g 2022–2023 NCSM BOARD PRESIDENT Paul Gray PRESIDENT ELECT Katey Arrington FIRST VICE PRESIDENT Georgina Rivera SECOND VICE PRESIDENT Jenny Novak REGIONAL DIRECTORS Deanna Brajcich: Canada Nicole Stommel: Central 1 Astrid Fossum: Central 2 Amy Lucenta: Eastern 1 John Sangiovanni: Eastern 2 Ian Shenk: Southern 1 Michael Greenlee: Southern 2 Tara Fulton: Western 1 Rosa Serratore: Western 2 AFFILIATE COORDINATOR Heather Crawford-Ferre AWARDS CHAIR Brian Buckhalter MARKETING CHAIR Rebecca Angus CONFERENCE COORDINATOR Karen Spalding HISTORIAN Shawn Towle JOURNAL Paula Jakopovic: Editor Sean Nank: Associate Editor MEMBERSHIP & VOLUNTEER CHAIR Sara Frisbie NCTM REPRESENTATIVE Kris Cunningham INSPIRATION! Kim Romain: Editor Judy Dunmire: Associate Editor NOMINATIONS CHAIR Shelly Jones POSITION PAPERS Cory Bennett: Editor SECRETARY Dametra Skinner SPONSOR PARTNER LIAISONS Sheila Holt TREASURER Steven Shadel PROFESSIONAL LEARNING DIRECTORS Pamela Seda Erin Lehmann WEB EDITOR Natalie Crist REGIONAL REPORTS SUMMER READING FOR MATHEMATICS LEADERS NCSM Regional Directors from US Eastern 1, US Eastern 2, US Southern 1, and US Southern 2 offer suggestions for summer reading for mathematics leaders. CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE As I select professional reading material, I explore NCTM and NCSM publications, skim the latest educational publishers, or am inspired to purchase and read a book after hearing an author speak. When selecting non-professional reading, I’ve been perusing the free audiobooks available through my library. Most recently, I’ve shifted from fiction to nonfiction as I browse the audiobooks. As a result, I’ve listened to two books that are not purposefully written with the educator in mind. However, the connections they offer to educators and educational leaders are incredibly valuable. As leaders in mathematics education, we find ourselves in many situations that build from and leverage trusting relationships with educators—coaching, facilitating PLCs, facilitating professional learning, etc. Radical Candor: Be a Kick-Ass Boss Without Losing Your Humanity, by Kim Scott, raises many challenges in work relationships and group dynamics that are highly relevant to our work. Scott’s solution sounds simple—to be kind and clear simultaneously. She places personal interactions on two axes: Challenge Directly and Care Personally. Radical Candor sits in the first quadrant. With many stories from her experiences at Apple and Google, she brings to life what she means by Radical Candor, and she offers counterexamples that qualify as Obnoxious Aggression, Manipulative Insincerity, and Ruinous Empathy. As educators, we are regularly in a position to engage in radical candor—in faculty meetings, in classrooms, in coaching sessions. Scott references a “Get Stuff Done Wheel” as she discusses the cycle of productivity. Listen—Clarify—Debate— Decide—Persuade—Execute—Learn. How does this cycle relate to your work in schools and classrooms as you tackle change—like a new curriculum, revised mission statement, or professional learning goals? Scott’s framework for achieving Radical Candor parallels a lot of school mission statements. She starts with building radically candid relationships, then unpacks getting, giving, and encouraging guidance by creating a culture of open communications. Scott AMY LUCENTA, NCSM US EASTERN 1 REGIONAL DIRECTOR THEMED ARTICLES AMY LUCENTA

BOARD MEMBERS AT WORK m a t h e d l e a d e r s h i p . o r g –7– s u m m e r 2 0 2 3 continues by unpacking how to understand what motivates each person on your team in service of supporting them to move toward their goals, and she concludes with strategies to drive results collaboratively. The entire second half of the book is full of tools, techniques, and tips. The second book that seems highly applicable to our work as educators is Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones, by James Clear. As educators, we are in the business of continuous improvement, making slight changes in teaching practices and professional practices that impact students’ experiences and learning outcomes. “All big things come from small beginnings. The seed of every habit is a single, tiny decision. But as that decision is repeated, a habit sprouts and grows stronger. Roots entrench themselves and branches grow. The task of breaking a bad habit is like uprooting a powerful oak within us. And the task of building a good habit is like cultivating a delicate flower one day at a time.” (Clear, 2018, p. 22). In this book, Clear unpacks a system for change and three foci of change—outcomes, process, and identity. He argues that establishing clear identity goals is where we should start, and then prove it to be true with small wins along the way; e.g. The goal is not to read a book, the goal is to become a reader. If we create a parallel as a teacher, an example may sound like: The goal is not to get the students to do well on a mathematics test, the goal is to become a teacher who engages all students in mathematical thinking. Or a mathematics coach example may sound like: The goal is not to schedule myself into classrooms, the goal is to become a coach who works alongside teachers in the classroom. Clear outlines four laws to guide effective change in habits: Make it Obvious, Make it Attractive, Make it Easy, Make it Satisfying. Clear is explicit about how habits form and how to ensure they are enacted—after repeatedly performing them and learning through practice rather than planning. He also makes distinctions between adding a new habit and breaking a bad habit. Instructional leaders and classroom teachers alike are often in the position of integrating new habits and replacing bad habits, and the laws relate to our collective work as well. Cues like time, location, and current habits offer good connecting points for new habits and serve to “Make it Obvious.” To set a goal for a new habit, use a sentence frame like, “I will (behavior) at (time) in (location).” To stack habits, use a sentence frame like, “After I (current habit), I will (new habit).” Teachers I work with are often working to provide more processing time for students. In coaching sessions, we may focus on the moment when students first see a new representation. The teacher’s habit-stack may sound like, “After I unveil/present a representation, I will provide students with 45 seconds of individual think time to make sense of it before we discuss it.” Clear describes what he means by the “Make it Easy” rule. He suggests optimizing small choices that impact larger outcomes and chunking habits so that they can be done in less than AMY LUCENTA, US EASTERN 1 ( CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS PAGE) CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE

BOARD MEMBERS AT WORK s u m m e r 2 0 2 3 –8– m a t h e d l e a d e r s h i p . o r g two minutes. This makes me think of teachers who are working hard to talk less so that students do more of the talking in mathematics class—an ambitious goal. A first step for teachers that is small but mighty is to stop repeating what students say and have another student revoice the idea. The small move, when repeated, encourages students to listen to each other, gives them ownership of the development of both the idea and language, and provides multiple processing opportunities for students. Yet, it takes only 5 seconds for a teacher to ask a student to rephrase rather than doing so herself. Clear offers a tip in service of his rule, Make it Attractive. He suggests joining a culture where the behavior you desire is the normal behavior. Perhaps your PLC could be a support system! And of course, when we find that habits are satisfying (final rule), we increase the odds the behavior will be repeated next time. It’s through the repetition that the habit becomes second nature, requiring less thought and focus. Rewarding habits and tracking habits are two effective ways to feel the satisfaction in the small shifts. Clear ends this book with online resources—two such resources include applications to parenting and to business. Wouldn’t you love to read the applications to teaching and leading? = CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE AMY LUCENTA, US EASTERN 1 ( CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS PAGE) The past two summers were opportunities to rethink and rebuild our approach to intervention in elementary mathematics. We had a hodgepodge collection of resources along with inconsistent messages about what intervention is, who provides it, and when it can happen. Since then, we’ve done quite a bit including hiring and training highly skilled mathematics specialists (NCTM, n.d.; McGatha & Miller, 2017) to provide interventions. We have established ongoing professional learning for them. We have identified an intervention resource (and crafted some of our own complementary works). We have monitored progress and exited students. You might think this summer is a summer to celebrate. This summer is time to take the next step forward. The insights and questions that follow are those that we needed to begin and continue the work. This isn’t a comprehensive list of what’s been learned and the new questions that have emerged. The intent is to spur your reflection, thinking, and doing. After all, isn’t that what summer is for? Summer is a time to spotlight LESSONS LEARNED and commit to acting on them. In the past year, bi-monthly professional learning with our specialists (interventionists) has been an opportunity to grow their understanding. But it has also been a time to hear about their daily experiences, learn about their successes, identify challenges, and consider solutions. Many of the lessons learned may have been overlooked in the past. They might help you think about aspects of intervention you need to investigate more this summer. Lesson 1: Dispositions matter. Mindset makes a difference (Boaler, 2022). Students who believe they can, engage in doing mathematics, and put forth effort to learn. Often, that isn’t the disposition JOHN SANGIOVANNI, NCSM US EASTERN 2 REGIONAL DIR4ECTOR INTERVENTION FOR ELEMENTARY INTERVENTION JOHN SANGIOVANNI

BOARD MEMBERS AT WORK m a t h e d l e a d e r s h i p . o r g –9– s u m m e r 2 0 2 3 of a student in mathematical interventions. They have firsthand experience with failure in mathematics and are convinced that mathematics isn’t for them or that they aren’t good at mathematics. A priority move for our interventionists is to repair student dispositions about themselves and mathematics. We monitor it through simple surveys and value that data as much as what they know about specific content Lesson 2: Relationships first. Positive, nurturing relationships between teachers and students is critical for student engagement, motivation, and achievement (Cornelius-White, J. 2007; Roorda, D. L. et al., 2011). So, to get the most out of an intervention, experienced interventionists and their students must have a strong relationship. And though time is precious, it’s important that intervention work starts out with play and interaction. Interventionists must take time to get to know their students and find their strengths. They can’t just dive into “fixing” the problems. Lesson 3: Kids are more than numbers. This builds from the previous point. Our kids are more than numbers (Guarino et al., 2022). This is an important aspect of intervention that may be overlooked. Often it seems that with intervention, we get much data about our students’ mathematics proficiency but overlook that there are people behind those numbers. Our intervention work this year is about knowing the kid, not just the numbers. In other words, a fraction test score doesn’t always tell you what they know about fractions, how they think about fractions, or if they see value in fractions. Lesson 4: Teaching is greater than testing. Maybe this should read, data matters but teaching matters more. Simply put, assessment and data collection were eating up much of our intervention time. The focus of that precious time had to shift from testing and data gathering to teaching! Now, we do a better job collecting information through observation and assessment during intervention instruction rather than in place of instruction. Lesson 5: Intervention during first instruction is disruption. It seems simple. Students who need more mathematics should get more mathematics. But it’s rather difficult to pull off in an elementary school with tight schedules and limited resources. There isn’t a magic bullet. But one thing that has become clear is that pulling students out of first instruction for an intervention causes major disruptions to that student’s mathematical experience. It is a poor attempt to get more mathematics into less time. It contradicts what is needed. This is a work in progress. Lesson 6: Interventionists matter. Teachers providing interventions must be highly skilled with a deep understanding of mathematical content including the progression of skills and concepts. The selection or hiring process must be careful and focused. Interventionists need ongoing training and support. And most importantly, we must grow new staff members ready to step into the role. Summer is a time to reassess the QUESTIONS and CHALLENGES that linger. We have learned a lot in this new work and new questions have emerged. Questions will center our work this summer. Many districts likely have similar questions. While our answers haven’t fully come into focus, some preliminary thoughts are shared. These too are offered as points of consideration, reflection, and exploration during your summer work. So, if not during mathematics, when? As mentioned, instructional schedules are tight and all content matters. There are some moments during JOHN SANGIOVANNI, US EASTERN 2 ( CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS PAGE) CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE

BOARD MEMBERS AT WORK s u m m e r 2 0 2 3 –10– m a t h e d l e a d e r s h i p . o r g the day that we can skim from including arrival and dismissal times. Work with other content areas is underway to craft guidance for when students can be pulled out for more math. There may be other avenues for shifting the report times for these staff to extend the day for students or find ways into aftercare and other offerings. What content do we focus intervention on? We can’t (and shouldn’t) provide intervention on every topic. Some that are mission critical for our students, include number concepts, operations, fractions, and problem solving. Yet even within those topics, there is a hierarchy of importance. For example, within the collection of fraction concepts and skills, we can isolate very important ideas like what fractions and equivalent fractions are. We can focus on very specific, very important ideas and go very deep with them. When do we focus intervention? This isn’t about when during the day but rather when during the instructional scope and sequence. To be frank, students who don’t learn a topic within a few days of it being introduced aren’t necessarily in dire need of intervention. Yet, teachers sometimes think they are and refer students for interventions compromising interventionists capacity for support and effectiveness overall. Our current thinking is that no intervention will be provided for on-grade content. That is, intervention for third graders will center on content that was taught in previous grades. This is certainly a point for more investigation this summer. What can specialists (interventionists) do early in the year? Something seems off when interventions are planned for the second week of school. It certainly has undertones of deficit thinking in addition to other assumptions about students and learning. Fortunately, we have started a mathematics interventionist position. But what do they do early in the year to support instruction? Can they co-teach with new teachers to model instructional practices? Can they co-teach in classrooms of intervention students from the year before? Closing: Taking Action this Summer This is a brief highlight of s ummer work around intervention. No matter what models, resources, or strategies you have in place, summer is a time to reflect and consider adjustments. It may be that those adjustments aren’t implemented the very next fall but rather discussed, explored, and maybe piloted on a small scale. If you are looking to start intervention or need to rethink what you’re doing three actions to consider are: •Take time to revisit the IES Educator Practice Guide: Assisting Students Struggling with Mathematics: Intervention in the Elementary Grades •Take stock of what you are doing and identify areas of need •Engage stakeholders’ feedback and connect with other mathematics leaders Some questions to ask yourself: •What are the major recommendations? •Where are we with these recommendations? •What data are we collecting? And how much is enough? •How are we exiting students? •What are we doing for students after the intervention? •How do we account for intervention students’ dispositions •How often is intervention provided? When are we providing it? JOHN SANGIOVANNI, US EASTERN 2 ( CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS PAGE) REGIONAL REPORTS CONTINUE ON NEXT PAGE

BOARD MEMBERS AT WORK m a t h e d l e a d e r s h i p . o r g –11– s u m m e r 2 0 2 3 Boaler, J. O. (2022). Mathematical mindsets: unleashing students’ potential through creative math, inspiring messages and innovative teaching. Jossey-Bass Inc, U.S. Cornelius-White, J. (2007). Learner-centered teacher-student relationships are effective: A meta-analysis. Review of Educational Research, 77(1), 113–143. https://doi.org/10.3102/003465430298563 Guarino, J., Cole, S., & Sperling, M. (2022). Our children are not numbers. Mathematics Teacher: Learning and Teaching PK–12, 115(6), 404–412. https://doi.org/10.5951/mtlt.2021.0299 McGatha, M., & Miller, R. N. R. (2017). Elementary mathematics specialists: Developing, refining, and examining programs that support mathematics teaching and learning. Information Age Publishing, Inc. National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (n.d.). The role of elementary mathematics specialists in the teaching and learning of mathematics. Retrieved March 31, 2023, from https://www.nctm.org/Standards-and-Positions/Position-Statements/The-Role-of-Elementary-Mathematics-Specialists-in-the-Teaching-and-Learning-of-Mathematics/ Roorda, D. L., Koomen, H. M. Y., Spilt, J. L., & Oort, F. J. (2011). The influence of affective teacher–student relationships on students’ school engagement and achievement: A meta-analytic approach. Review of Educational Research, 81(4), 493–529. https://doi.org/10.3102/0034654311421793 CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE IAN SHENK, REGIONAL DIRECTOR, NCSM US SOUTHERN 1 REGIONAL DIRECTOR AT LEAST YOU HAVE YOUR SUMMERS OFF IAN SHENK There are certain things that educators hear all the time that can just set us off. The most common thing we hear from students is, of course, “when will I ever use this?” But that one doesn’t bother me so much as it creates a challenge to try to increase the relevance of instruction. From community members, I get a lot of “I’m not a math person,” or “I don’t do math,” or sometimes it’s just a visceral, subconscious reaction when I mention what I do for a living. But the one that bothers me the most, even when it is meant as well-intentioned, is “at least you have your summers off.” Even before I was in a job where I had to go into the office for 12 months of the year, I never had my summers off. Summers were the perfect time to reflect on the previous year, plan ways to make things better next time, and learn about new practices to try. Without the immediate time pressures that come from students being in the classroom like grading, writing curriculum, and contacting parents, we can more fully dedicate ourselves to growing ourselves professionally. For me, summer continues to be the ideal time to focus on my own professional learning. Although there is still a lot of work to do to prepare for the new school year, the pace slows down just enough, to where I can carve time out of each workday to read through the books and journals that have been piling up and listen to the podcasts that have been stacking on each other in my feed. This summer, I am looking to increase my knowledge and ability to support two broad areas of education—ensuring equitable access to all levels of mathematics and providing teachers with professional learning that is targeted to their individual needs. A great source of bite-sized summaries of new research from journals comes from the Marshall Memo, which is provided for free to all NCSM members as a member perk. Kim Marshall provides a weekly briefing of several articles that have recently been published in a variety of professional magazines and journals. A March 2023 edition of the Marshall Memo highlighted “The Effect of School Tracking on Student Achievement and Inequality: A Meta-Analysis” as published in the Review of Educational Research by Éder Terrin and •Who provides intervention? Why are they good for the work? •What do we focus our efforts on? •Is first instruction (the best tool for intervention) in a good place overall? = JOHN SANGIOVANNI, US EASTERN 2 ( CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS PAGE)

BOARD MEMBERS AT WORK s u m m e r 2 0 2 3 –12– m a t h e d l e a d e r s h i p . o r g Moris Triventi. The summary that Marshall provides along with the abstract of the article had me immediately downloading the article, and then making a note to read it when I had more time. In the meta-analysis, the authors look at 53 analyses looking at the effects of school tracking on student outcomes and equality of opportunity. This article will be a powerful companion piece to NCSM’s position paper on Closing the Opportunity Gap. When you combine this resource with Choosing to See by Pamela Seda and Kyndall Brown, I plan to have a summer that re-energizes me in my commitment to championing equitable outcomes for all students. Another book that has been sitting on my table for a few months is The Imperfect and Unfinished Math Teacher by Chase Orton. I have been reflecting a lot recently on how professional learning is provided to teachers. Even though I know that the most effective professional learning is ongoing and job-embedded, I find myself too often falling into the trap of providing teachers with a one-size fits all workshop without directly connecting it to their teaching or remembering to follow up on how the material was implemented. Providing the same professional learning to all teachers on how they should differentiate their instruction is one of the great ironies of education. Instead, I wonder how we can offer new learning to teachers in a way that is directly targeted to their own needs and areas where they want to improve. I firmly believe that instructional coaches are the best way to provide this professional learning, but what about when coaches are not available? Through the use of stories, Orton describes how a culture of professionalism can be created. One of the primary needs of this culture is a commitment to collaborating and supporting each other. In this respectful place, teachers can take ownership of their professional learning, continually growing in areas that are aligned with their individual needs and the needs of their students. This summer, I hope you will join me as I make my way through my ever-growing stack of reading and listening material. Learning is always better when it is done with others, as we recognize that learning is an ongoing journey that may occasionally be uncomfortable, particularly if it challenges some of our long-held beliefs. = IAN SHENK, US SOUTHERN 1 ( CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS PAGE) Orton, C. (2022). The imperfect and unfinished math teacher: A journey to reclaim our professional growth. Corwin. Seda, P., & Brown, K. (2021). Choosing to see: A framework for equity in the math classroom. Dave Burgess Consulting, Inc. Terrin, E., & Triventi, M. (2023). The effect of school tracking on student achievement and inequality: A meta-analysis. Review of Educational Research, 93(2), 236– 274. https://doi.org/10.3102/00346543221100850 WANT TO GET INVOLVED IN NCSM? WE LOVE OUR VOLUNTEERS AND NEED VOLUNTEERS! CLICK HERE TO SEE ALL THE WAYS YOU COULD GET INVOLVED. Interested in joining NCSM? Need a Membership Application? Go to: mathedleadership.org/membership/ REGIONAL REPORTS CONTINUE ON NEXT PAGE

BOARD MEMBERS AT WORK m a t h e d l e a d e r s h i p . o r g –13– s u m m e r 2 0 2 3 As summertime approaches, many of us lock our classroom doors, turn in our keys, and settle in for some much-deserved relaxation with our families. If you are anything like me, you will also have a stack of professional books on your bedside table that you think you might finally get around to reading now that you have some extra time. Summertime is the perfect time for reflection and with that can be a great opportunity to grow and develop ourselves as mathematical leaders. With that in mind, I would like to share with you some recommendations for summer reading material to help you in developing your mathematical leadership skills and to get you motivated to hit the ground running next school year. Instructional Leadership in Mathematics Education NCSM’s Essential Actions series, as a whole, is an excellent resource for all mathematics leaders. While there is a book focused exclusively on coaching, I find Instructional Leadership in Mathematics Education to be the most valuable to someone in a coaching role. This book takes the reader through the mathematics program improvement process, where each chapter focuses on the actions necessary to improve student learning. I am particularly fond of Chapter 4: “How Do I Ensure Relevant and Meaningful Mathematics for All?” This chapter introduces my favorite tool in the entire Essential Actions series, the Mathematics Teaching Practices Continuum. This tool is useful in defining what high-quality instruction can look and sound like in a mathematics classroom by breaking down the Effective Mathematics Teaching Practices, found in NCTM’s Principles to Actions, into a continuum of teachercentered instruction and moving toward more student-centered instruction. I love the idea of using this tool to reflect with teachers as we work towards our goals of providing high-quality instruction for our students. Culturally Relevant Leadership in Mathematics Education I would be remiss if I didn’t also mention NCSM’s newest contribution to the Essential Actions series, Culturally Relevant Leadership in Mathematics Education. This book defines the leadership practices necessary to guarantee all students engage in equitable, high-quality mathematical experiences. I find Chapter 3: “Designing Culturally Relevant Tasks” particularly useful for leaders in a coaching role. This chapter establishes some essential leadership actions focused around providing structures for teachers to collaboratively develop and enhance culturally relevant mathematical tasks that reflect and respond to the needs of their students. It is through culturally relevant task design that mathematics leaders can provide opportunities to support students to see the mathematics classroom as relevant and meaningful to them, as well as establish it as a safe space for them to develop their reasoning and problem-solving skills. = MICHAEL GREENLEE, NCSM US SOUTHERN 2 REGIONAL DIRECTOR ESSENTIAL ACTIONS MICHAEL GREENLEE “This work is a perfect example of how we can focus on both the need to create equitable opportunities in mathematics and how to actually do just that when given impactful tools and resources. NCSM leads us through a reflective and contemplative experience with students always at the center. —Crystal M. Watson, Mathematics Educator and Instructional Partner Culturally Relevant Leadership in Mathematics Education ADVANCE PRAISE FOR NCSM is a mathematics education leadership organization that equips and empowers a diverse education community to engage in leadership that supports, sustains, and inspires high quality mathematics teaching and learning every day for each and every learner. mathedleadership.org The NCSM vision clarifies the focus on student learning outcomes and directs the charge to “guarantee that all students engage in equitable, high-quality mathematical experiences.” So, how do we as mathematics leaders and members of NCSM bring the vision to life and ensure equitable student engagement in mathematics classrooms of the teachers we serve? How do we ensure that students who have been traditionally marginalized see themselves as mathematicians? Culturally Relevant Leadership in Mathematics Education focuses on the essential actions leaders must apply to ensure students are engaged in culturally relevant and equitable mathematics instruction. This book provides action steps and resources to support the following guiding principles: • Empowering students through culturally relevant practices • Designing culturally relevant tasks • Monitoring culturally relevant practices • Advocating for culturally relevant practices This book provides practical and actionable research-affirmed strategies to improve mathematics teaching and learning for each and every learner. Included in this book are four culturally relevant tasks and a comprehensive set of resources for leading culturally relevant mathematics. “What a powerful, practical complement to the NCSM Essential Actions Leadership Series! Culturally Relevant Leadership in Mathematics Education (CRLME) provides detailed guidance to leaders to support teachers, students, schools and programs they work with to address culturally relevant teaching in mathematics. The focus is grounded in equitable mathematics teaching practices keeping student identity, agency, and efficacy at the center. CRLME provides a framework for leaders to support culturally relevant teaching through thoughtful actions empowering teachers and students. The rubrics and reflection questions provided throughout will support leaders in taking steps to move toward and support culturally relevant mathematics practices for each and every student. Thank you NCSM: Leadership in Mathematics Education for taking this bold step! —Trena L. Wilkerson, Ph.D. National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, President, 2020–2022 “NCSM continues to provide professional and research-affirmed guidance to our work as mathematics education leaders. In Culturally Relevant Leadership in Mathematics Education, NCSM once again provides a framework for our systemic and sustained action toward defining what is meant by culturally relevant mathematics, and embedding planned action to integrate the mathematics skills, knowledge and dispositions in our daily lessons that allow our students to find themselves in the mathematics photo album. This framework is more than a must read, it is a moral call to action if we are to ensure that every PreK-12 mathematics child in our community is not disenfranchised from learning because of our daily discriminatory choices and decisions. —Timothy D. Kanold, Ph.D. NCSM President 2007–2009 “NCSM provides a roadmap for leaders as they engage with and support leaders and mathematics teachers in their journey to deepen their understanding of culturally relevant pedagogy and culturally relevant leadership. The Culturally Relevant Leadership Action Framework and other reflection tools, rubrics, and model tasks equip leaders so that they can grow and lead with boldness to change the narrative. —John W. Staley, NCSM President 2015–2017 9 780989 076562 53200> ISBN 978-0-9890765-6-2 $32.00 1 % 32 29 12 14 7+3 8+1 25 20 67 61 59 30 Culturally Relevant Leadership in Mathematics Education NCSM ESSENTIAL ACTIONS NCSM ESSENTIAL ACTIONS SERIES NCSM ESSENTIAL ACTIONS: CULTURALLY RELEVANT LEADERSHIP IN MATHEMATICS EDUCATION NCSM ESSENTIAL ACTIONS: CULTURALLY RELEVANT LEADERSHIP IN MATHEMATICS EDUCATION NCSM ESSENTIAL ACTIONS SERIES

EMPOWER MATHEMATICS LEADERS: CONNECT, LEARN, AND HONOR s u m m e r 2 0 2 3 –14– m a t h e d l e a d e r s h i p . o r g 2023 NCSM CONFERENCE • WASHINGTON, D.C. • OCTOBER 28–31 JOIN US IN WASHINGTON, D.C. AS WE SHARE STORIES OF BOLD MATH LEADERSHIP Have you registered for the 55th NCSM Annual Conference? Register today and book your hotel! Register HERE! The 55th NCSM Annual Conference is an excellent opportunity to gather with mathematics leaders with diverse backgrounds and stories, including teachers, coaches, supervisors, administrators, consultants, publishers, and university professors, to learn and grow together. We have a great speaker lineup with stories of Empowerment, Advocacy, Redesigning, and Stories Yet to be Told. You will not want to miss this amazing speaker lineup and three days filled with networking and learning with other BOLD mathematics leaders. We are excited to share that our keynote speaker will be Dr. Lacey Robinson Lacey Robinson is the President and Chief Executive Officer of UnboundEd. As a teacher, principal, and staff development specialist, Robinson maintained a focus on literacy, equity, and school leadership for more than two decades. Her life’s work aims to help educators in school systems disrupt systemic racism and all its legacies in classrooms. Inspired by Langston Hughes, her path is to build temples for tomorrow, as strongly and bravely as she knows how, and to ensure that future generations can stand freely within themselves to be whomever they choose to be. As CEO, Robinson pursues this passion by leading an organization known for the highest integrity in professional development. We are also excited to share that our closing speaker will be Ken Williams, CEO of Unfold the Soul Ken Williams is a husband, father, nationally recognized trainer, speaker, coach, and consultant in leadership and school culture. A practitioner for nearly three decades. Ken led the improvement efforts at two schools by leveraging the Professional Learning Communities at Work process. Through his company, Unfold the Soul, Ken is skilled in joining the why of the work to the how of the work. He is known for his powerful and engaging combination of “heart, humor, and hammer.” He is the author of several books including his latest, Ruthless Equity! We’re looking forward to seeing you at the conference! By Karen Spalding, NCSM Conference Chair; Georgina Rivera, NCSM First Vice President and Program Chair LACEY ROBINSON KEN WILLIAMS

EMPOWER MATHEMATICS LEADERS: CONNECT, LEARN, AND HONOR m a t h e d l e a d e r s h i p . o r g –15– s u m m e r 2 0 2 3 What is the purpose of your organization? The purpose of IA-NCSM is to provide a community for Iowa leaders of all types to connect, collaborate and communicate with each other around research-based mathematical standards and instructional practices to support all learners at all levels across the state. How does your affiliate support BOLD mathematics leadership? IA-NCSM leads the support for mathematics leaders of all types, whether that be a teacher leader, a district coach or specialist, an Area Education Agency, or administration across the state. Beginning in May 2020, as a brand-new affiliate, we launched and held our very first meeting virtually. From there, began hosting a virtual monthly webinar series for leaders to learn about new ideas such as the NCSM Essential Actions Instructional Leadership book. Based on feedback from our members we have continued to host structured virtual events on Fluency, Building Thinking Classrooms, and many other topics. During the 2022–23 school year, we hosted and led the first-ever IA-NCSM Coaching Strand at the Iowa Council of Teachers of Mathematics fall conference. The conference strand served as our first in-person event and launched our professional learning series on SHINING THE LIMELIGHT ON NCSM AFFILIATE: IA-NCSM By Heather Crawford-Ferre I NCSM Affiliate Coordinator EACH YEAR NCSM LOOKS FORWARD TO CHARTERING NEW AFFILIATE GROUPS. THESE EVENTS SERVE as great inspirations as we expand the networking opportunities of our now affiliates. Each affiliate story is unique, and their service and contribution are BOLD and meaningful. In 2020, NCSM welcomed a new affiliate to the organization: Iowa Affiliate of the National Council of Supervisors of Mathematics (IA-NCSM). Each affiliate’s unique story reflects how a group of leaders was inspired to unite with a common vision and calling to establish a network of support for regional mathematics leaders. If you are looking for inspiration, look no further than IA-NCSM. IA-NCSM was founded in 2020 after an NCSM regional event in November 2019. Almost immediately after their founding, they became a fully online group due to Covid. They’ve been meeting virtually every month ever since and are currently supporting 170 members. Each year they offer a themed learning series and host a coaching strand at the annual Iowa Council of Teachers of Mathematics conference. Below we share an interview with their Secretary April Pforts. HEATHER CRAWFORD-FERRE APRIL PFORTS Our first BOLD Leader, Past President Marty Beck The very warm welcome you receive when you arrive at our online community! CONTINUED ON PAGE 17

EMPOWER MATHEMATICS LEADERS: CONNECT, LEARN, AND HONOR s u m m e r 2 0 2 3 –16– m a t h e d l e a d e r s h i p . o r g PROFESSIONAL LEARNING FOR GROWING LEADERS NCSM SUMMER LEADERSHIP ACADEMIES www.mathedleadership.or g Denver, Colorado: June 26˛28, 2023 or West Hartford, Connecticut: July 24˛26, 2023 BE THE CHANGE: Leading Equity Work from a Coaching Stance Bold leadership in mathematics education leads to all students engaging in equitable, high-quality learning experiences. During the summer leadership academy, participants will examine the structures, actions, and mindsets necessary to lead effective and equitable mathematics programs. DAY 1 FOCUS Framework for Leadership/Instructional Leadership Essential Question: How do we structure our work as bold mathematics leaders to lead effective, equitable mathematics programs? DAY 2 FOCUS Culturally Relevant Leadership Essential Question: What actions can we take as culturally relevant leaders to support all students learning mathematics at high levels? DAY 3 FOCUS Coaching Essential Question: How can culturally relevant leaders use a coaching mindset to lead and support equitable mathematics instruction? Register Today at www.mathedleadership.org

EMPOWER MATHEMATICS LEADERS: CONNECT, LEARN, AND HONOR m a t h e d l e a d e r s h i p . o r g –17– s u m m e r 2 0 2 3 SHINING THE LIMELIGHT ON NCSM AFFILIATE: IA-NCSM (CONTINUED FROM PAGE 15) CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE Coaching Principles to Actions. We continue this work monthly and are excited about our next learning series. What success/challenges are you building on for the future? Our biggest success has been our significant growth in membership over a short time. Our biggest challenge was due to the pandemic, we lost some of our synergy from our in-person event and have struggled to have a similar event as a restart. Do you have any additional information you would like the other Affiliates to know? Keep nudging forward and to try-try again. We are grateful to have IA-NCSM as an NCSM Affiliate! Special thanks to the organization for sharing its experience as an affiliate organization re-emerging from the pandemic. Perhaps you know of a local mathematical leadership organization that wants to become an affiliate of NCSM. Share with them the NCSM Affiliate Application Process information. = UPCOMING NCTM EVENTS NAME OF CONFERENCE CALL FOR PROPOSALS REGISTRATION INFORMATION 2023 NCTM Annual Meeting & Exposition Washington, DC October 25–28 Proposal Submission Is Closed https://www. nctm.org/ annualmeeting/ 2024 NCTM Regional Conference Seattle, WA February 7–9 Proposal Submission Information Coming Soon Registration Is Not Yet Available By Kris Cunningham I NCTM Representative LEARNINGS FROM LEADERS NCSM Regional Directors from US Eastern 1 and US Central 1 found leaders in their regions to discuss what motivates them, their most memorable mentors, and impactful professional development. US EASTERN 1 REGION I met Katisha John through the work of the Boston Teacher Residency. As a collaborating teacher with two year-long residents, Katisha provided critical feedback, thoughtful suggestions, and asked important questions as she supported the growth of the two residents in her classroom and modeled a continuous thirst for learning. Her leadership capacities were evident in every aspect of her work—and continue to be! Katisha is currently a District Instructional Coach for Secondary Mathematics in the Cambridge Public Schools in Massachusetts and a Lecturer at Mount Holyoke College. I hope you enjoy learning from her as much as I do. —Amy Lucenta KATISHA JOHN

EMPOWER MATHEMATICS LEADERS: CONNECT, LEARN, AND HONOR s u m m e r 2 0 2 3 –18– m a t h e d l e a d e r s h i p . o r g What motivates you to be a leader in mathematics education? In education, we discuss the importance of windows and mirrors to students’ identity and development. It has been important throughout my life as well and continues to be. When I walk through the halls of various schools I encounter students whose classrooms I do not usually visit and I receive a bit of satisfaction when students want to introduce themselves and share their stories about mathematics or other topics. I find it most inspiring when students are excited to learn about my role and consider themselves as future educators or STEM professionals, and I’m honored to be a mirror for them. What is one area in which you feel you have really grown/developed in the past several years? In the past several years, I have learned the importance of letting educators determine their pathways to success when coaching them. My responsibility as a coach is to help educators identify the positive aspects of their work through reflection and data analysis. Another important aspect is guiding educators to identify areas in which they want to improve. I have and continue to craft thought-provoking questions that relate to each individual educator and situation and help them reflect on their practice and the impact of student learning. Many of my questions fall within several categories: how students engage with mathematics, how students see themselves as mathematicians and their peers, connections to the world around us, and teacher planning and practice. Who, if anyone, has served as your greatest mentor? Describe how this person has provided support and/or guidance. If you ever met the incomparable Lynne Godfrey, you would not sense the magnitude of the work she has done and continues to do as a pioneer of the Algebra Project curriculum and the demand for equitable mathematics education being a civil right. Lynne has guided me as she would guide a mathematics student through discourse and thoughtful reflection questions. While Lynne has been a mirror for me the last several years, I have been able to learn from her firsthand as she models the importance of crafting questions, analysis, and strategizing. What aspect of your job gives you the most satisfaction? The best part of my job is working directly with teachers and students in the classroom. I also enjoy working with coaches and teachers to sustainable practices to improve student learning. We have opportunities to confer with students or orchestrate conversations between students and listen to their ideas and look for the magical learning light bulbs to illuminate. When we see the impact of the hard work that teachers put forth pays off in the classroom with students, I am again reminded that I am where I need to be. = Interview by Amy Lucenta, NCSM Regional Director, US Eastern 1 LEARNINGS FROM LEADERS ( CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS PAGE) LEARNINGS FROM LEADERS CONTINUE ON NEXT PAGE

EMPOWER MATHEMATICS LEADERS: CONNECT, LEARN, AND HONOR m a t h e d l e a d e r s h i p . o r g –19– s u m m e r 2 0 2 3 CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE US CENTRAL 1 REGION In life, both professionally and personally, it is important to surround yourself with people who challenge your thinking and inspire you to make a change. Dale G. Leibforth is one of those people. When I transitioned to a leadership role, I began attending county meetings in northern Illinois where a group of mathematics leaders, including Dale, meet regularly to collaborate and share ideas in an effort to learn from and support one another. Over the years, I have had the opportunity to learn from Dale as he shared his experiences in detracking, implementing interdisciplinary courses (e.g., Geometry in Construction), and more recently, working with local, state, and national leaders to change the narrative on Data Science and create pathways in mathematics for high school students. Dale currently serves as Mathematics & Computer Science Department Chair and Advanced Placement Success Manager at Evanston Township High School in Evanston, Illinois. Evanston Township High School is a single high school district serving a diverse population as a Title 1 school. Mr. Leibforth began his career in 1997 at ETHS. During his time at ETHS, he served as a teacher in the classroom for 17 years, an athletic coach, an Instructional Coach, the Teacher Council President, and has served on various district-wide committees impacting change throughout the district. He is currently in his ninth year serving as Department Chair and 26th year at ETHS, the high school that he attended as a student. If you are in need of some inspiration, keep reading to see what motivates Dale to be a leader, some words of wisdom, his greatest contributions and challenges, his greatest mentor, and what challenges lie ahead for leaders in mathematics education. —Nicole Stommel, C1 Regional Director DALE LEIBFORTH What motivates you to be a leader in mathematics education? I come from a family of educators who highlighted the importance of education. Ever since I was young, I sought leadership roles in whatever I was involved in, following in the footsteps of my family. As a classroom teacher for seventeen years, I consistently experimented and pushed the edge of what was possible in the classroom. As I moved on throughout my career, I continued to try to create positive change, regardless of my role or responsibility. I always took leadership and the ability to encourage others to join with me as a driving force for my work. When I became a department chair, the motivation to innovate and change continued to be at the center of my work. One of my greatest motivations is our students. To see the impact that you can have on the lives of our students in the classroom and now on a broader scale continues to bring me to work every day. My teaching staff is amazing and they continue to push me to be better. Their passion and excitement for mathematics and the success of all students is motivating. The cutting-edge work we are doing at our high school continues to bring a consistent challenge that motivates me to be a leader at our school and in the broader mathematics community.

EMPOWER MATHEMATICS LEADERS: CONNECT, LEARN, AND HONOR s u m m e r 2 0 2 3 –20– m a t h e d l e a d e r s h i p . o r g What words of wisdom would you offer to someone “new” in the field, one who is interested in developing their leadership potential? I would encourage future leaders to try new things and not be afraid to fail. I would also encourage them to continue to find ways to keep learning, innovating, and growing. Leaders, particularly in the field of mathematics, should continue to look for deeper meaning and connected meaning in what is being taught in the classroom. As someone transfers into a leadership role, they should look for ways to integrate transdisciplinary teaching and learning into their schools. We often think of interdisciplinary as combining two disciplines, while transdisciplinary transcends disciplines and helps redefine education in new and creative ways. While developing strong mathematical foundations, leaders should seek to integrate twenty-first century skills into their programs, using the standards for mathematical practice as a guide. They should also seek out other leaders and innovations as they develop their own leadership potential. Leadership is a skill that can be learned, so I always tried to look for ways to step beyond my role and would encourage others to do the same. Finally, it is important to seek out a mentor who will be honest and constructively critical during their development. What do you feel are your greatest contributions to mathematics education? I have worked with my team in a variety of areas that have had a great impact both in our district and around the country. Much of my early work was in the area of Advanced Placement. We worked to ensure that all students had access to AB Calculus AP, particularly students of color. There were a variety of elements involved in that work. We worked to ensure that students were aware of the opportunity, that all students had access and that barriers were removed, that students were ready for the challenge, and that all students were ultimately successful in their Advanced Placement course. We did this work in the mathematics department and it quickly spread throughout the school beyond just the mathematics department. We also expanded our dual credit offerings and other post-secondary opportunities for students to set them up for success in their future. Another focus of my work is eliminating tracks in our mathematics pathway. We started with Geometry and this year have expanded our detracking efforts to 2 Algebra and Precalculus. After seeing the success of having an expanded AP Calculus AP course, we knew that we wanted all students to be exposed to our most challenging curriculum while mastering the standards of the course pathway. Another area of focus was on creating innovative, interdisciplinary, and transdisciplinary courses. One of the first courses was Geometry in Construction, a course developed in Loveland, Colorado. In this course, we infuse geometry with construction, where students actually build a house that is moved to a lot in our community and sold as affordable housing. Based on the success of this interdisciplinary course, we developed Algebra in Entrepreneurship, where 1 Algebra students learn algebra skills while developing their own business with real money and real products. Soon after, we developed a capstone transdisciplinary course entitled STEAM Design Thinking & Innovation where students use design thinking to solve a real-world problem while LEARNINGS FROM LEADERS ( CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS PAGE) CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE

EMPOWER MATHEMATICS LEADERS: CONNECT, LEARN, AND HONOR m a t h e d l e a d e r s h i p . o r g –21– s u m m e r 2 0 2 3 CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE innovating from the lens of the different STEAM disciplines. Recently, we have developed a series of courses that pull examples from the Black or Latinx community. Our AXLE program stands for Advancing Excellence, Lifting Everyone and pulls relevant course-based examples from the Black experience. This program has expanded to 2 Algebra, Precalculus and AB Calculus AP. While GANAS, which also runs from 2 Algebra through AB Calculus AP, comes from the phrase échale ganas expressing the motivation to give it all you’ve got. The purpose of the model is to provide an enriching learning environment in which students engage in inquiry and exploration of course content and topics while connecting with themselves and each other in spaces that value their identities and lived experiences. The content of the lessons is often crafted specifically for these classes, an example of which would be pulling in local data that impacts our students of color directly. These classes are designed and implemented by teachers who identify as Black or Latinx. Another area that has expanded in our school is AP Statistics. Throughout my years as chair, the statistics program has continued to grow. While looking into this area and partnering in the work with Jo Boaler and Cathy Williams at Stanford, we began to look at Data Science as a revolution in the field of mathematics. This year, we are offering Data Science as a course for the first time. Next year, we will be doubling the number of sections. We see Data Science as the future of mathematics. For too long, 2 Algebra, Precalculus, and Calculus have presented barriers for students across the country, particularly for students of color. We see Data Science as a way to give mathematics deeper meaning for students and it is an area that has great relevance in their lives. We are working with local, state, and national leaders to ensure that Data Science is seen on equal footing with our traditional mathematics pathway courses where our students learn math, problem-solving, and critical thinking while becoming active, knowledgeable contributors to our society. We believe that moving forward, Data Science will be seen as a standard and integral course in the mathematics pathway. These are just a few of the areas where our team has set the trend for where mathematics is heading and we pride ourselves on being amongst the first to implement change and encourage others to follow, setting our district up as a model and leader in the field. One of the elements of these contributions that I am most proud of is that this work was done not only in our district, but we also work in collaboration with other schools and districts to ensure that this would be replicated across the nation for an even greater impact on students. What has been your greatest challenge and how did you address it? All the above efforts took a lot of work, much of which is done by our teaching team. One of the largest challenges came in creating a detracked, heterogeneous classroom for our Geometry classes. This work combined our efforts with Advanced Placement, race and equity training of our staff, and a deep dive into our pathway to honors detracking work. Three main areas presented challenges in this work. The first is the belief systems of our students, staff, and LEARNINGS FROM LEADERS ( CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS PAGE)

EMPOWER MATHEMATICS LEADERS: CONNECT, LEARN, AND HONOR s u m m e r 2 0 2 3 –22– m a t h e d l e a d e r s h i p . o r g community. The second is that the logistical pieces of the work are very complex. Finally, the hardest part is in the classroom where teachers work to support students and stretch students all at the same time. As with many of our initiatives, the ability to continue to iterate on our programs has been a key to their success. Who, if anyone, has served as your mentor? Describe how this person has provided support and/or guidance. Earlier, I mentioned having a mentor as a key to success on the path to being a leader. Early in my work, as I was pursuing my Master’s in Educational Leadership and Administration, Dr. Pete Bavis agreed to be my mentor for my administrative research. He has been a key leader and mentor for me throughout not only the early years but has continued to be a critical friend and support as we move through new challenges and initiatives together. I also see my father, Gerald Leibforth, as a great example and guide from whom I have learned a great deal. He also worked at ETHS as a science teacher who moved through the administrative ranks at our school until he retired as the Business Manager. He has provided guidance, advice, support, and a listening ear throughout my challenges and successes in all of my leadership roles. For both of them, listening, advising, collaborating, challenging perspectives, and championing the work has been critical to my success. Although I have had many mentors and partners throughout my career, these two stand out as instrumental in my development. What is the most important issue for leaders in mathematics education today? Technology and what we do with it is going to be a great challenge for mathematics education as we move forward. We are preparing students for post-secondary opportunities, some of which do not yet exist. Technology is rapidly developing and similar to how the graphing calculator and other computer technologies have changed how we teach in the mathematics classroom, it will be interesting to see how developing technologies will change mathematics in the future. We need to continue to show ways that we are remaining relevant to the developing minds of our students. I also believe that the shift to Data Science in the mathematics field will have revolutionary effects on how mathematics is taught across the country. In the midst of all of this change, it will be important to keep our focus on the success of our students, the happiness of our teachers, and the continued reflection of our leaders in positions to impact great change. = Interview by Nicole Stommel, NCSM Regional Director, US Central 1 LEARNINGS FROM LEADERS ( CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS PAGE) JOIN US IN WASHINGTON, D.C. AS WE SHARE STORIES OF BOLD MATH LEADERSHIP Have you registered for the 55th NCSM Annual Conference? Register today andbook your hotel! Register HERE!

EMPOWER MATHEMATICS LEADERS: CONNECT, LEARN, AND HONOR m a t h e d l e a d e r s h i p . o r g –23– s u m m e r 2 0 2 3 2022 NCSM AWARDS NEWS Kay Gilliland Equity Lecture Award Kay Gilliland gave her time, energy, services, and skills to work for equity in mathematics education for all students, especially low-income, black, Latino, and indigenous peoples. Each year NCSM honors her legacy by presenting a person of like mind and work ethic with the Kay Gilliland Equity Lecture Award. NCSM was excited to present the 2022 Kay Gilliland Equity Lecture Award at the 54th NCSM Annual Conference in Anaheim, CA to Dr. Lateefah Id-Deen. Dr. Lateefah Id-Deen is an Assistant Professor of Mathematics Education in the Department of Elementary and Early Childhood Education at Kennesaw State University. She earned her doctorate in Curriculum, Instruction, and Teacher Education at Michigan State University, with focuses in Mathematics Education and Urban Education. Her research examines marginalized students’ perspectives on their experiences in mathematics classrooms, and ways to support educators in hearing and developing practice in relation to students’ expressed interests. Further, she investigates instructional practices that promote student-teacher relationships, affirms mathematics identities, and cultivates belongingness to support students’ learning experiences in mathematics classrooms. Her research and teaching reflect her passion for creating equitable learning environments for historically marginalized students in mathematics classrooms. Congratulations again to Dr. Id-Deen. KAY GILLILAND Iris Carl Travel Grants Each year NCSM honors Iris Carl, NCSM Past President, Glenn Gilbert Awardee and International Leader, through the NCSM Iris Carl Travel Grant. This grant gives support to mathematics educators and future leaders in mathematics education to attend an NCSM Annual Conference, thus supporting the NCSM vision of a cadre of well-trained, broadly informed, and perceptive leaders of mathematics education at all levels. The 2022 Iris Carl Travel Grant awardees were Edwina Perrin (Simpsonville, SC), Solomon Willis (Shelby, NC), and Holly Tate (Woodbridge, VA). DR. LATEEFAH Id-DEEN By Brian Buckhalter, NCSM Awards Chair and Astrid Fossum, NCSM Marketing Chair Holly Tate IRIS CARL REFLECTIONS ON THE 54TH NCSM ANNUAL CONFERENCE By Holly Tate (Woodbridge, Virginia) “The 2022 NCSM conference left me re-energized, excited, and better prepared to continue the difficult, and often isolating, work of mathematics leadership. I feel more inspired to lean into discomfort and feel a sense of urgency in having critical conversations to be better for students. I can imagine the structures and tools that uplift the identities and histories of students who have been historically marginalized and feel the sense of urgency in bringing this lens to my mathematics leadership. And finally, I feel empowered to influence the teachers that I work alongside in making mathematics a place of belonging, beauty, and joy. I know that the impact of my learning at the conference will have a lifelong effect on my leadership and work in mathematics education.”

EMPOWER MATHEMATICS LEADERS: CONNECT, LEARN, AND HONOR s u m m e r 2 0 2 3 –24– m a t h e d l e a d e r s h i p . o r g Mathematical Leadership Equitable Mathematics for All Vision Mindset Instructional Coaching High-Quality Instruction Detracking Assessment Leadership PDSA Cycles Research Areas Education and Outreach

m a t h e d l e a d e r s h i p . o r g –25– s u m m e r 2 0 2 3 The purpose of your NCSM Inspiration! is to advance the mission and vision of NCSM by informing the membership of the on-going activities of NCSM, by providing up-to-date information about issues, trends, programs, policy, and practice in mathematics education, and by promoting networking and collaboration among NCSM members and other stakeholders in the education community. Inspiration! is published electronically four times a year—fall, winter, spring, and summer—and is available to NCSM members only via the NCSM Website, as a benefit of your NCSM membership. Inspiration! seeks articles on issues of interest to mathematics educators, especially K–12 classroom teacher leaders. All readers are encouraged to contribute articles. Please send newsletter articles and comments to: Kim Romain • [email protected] Permission to photocopy material from Inspiration! will be granted for instructional use when the material is to be distributed free of charge (or only at cost), provided it is duplicated with full credit given to the authors of the material and Inspiration! This permission can be obtained by writing to: NCSM, P.O. Box 3406, Englewood, CO 80155 or email: [email protected] ABOUT YOUR NCSM INSPIRATION! KIM ROMAIN NCSM INSPIRATION! EDITOR NCSM MISSION STATEMENT NCSM is a mathematics education leadership organization that equips and empowers a diverse education community to engage in leadership that supports, sustains, and inspires high-quality mathematics teaching and learning every day for each and every learner. NCSM VISION STATEMENT NCSM is the premiere mathematics education leadership organization. Our bold leadership in the mathematics education community develops vision, ensures support, and guarantees that all students engage in equitable, highquality mathematical experiences that lead to powerful, flexible uses of mathematical understanding to affect their lives and to improve the world. High-quality leadership is vital to this vision. NCSM is committed to: Developing and Informing Vision • Provide leadership to influence issues and policies affecting mathematics education in ways consistent with the mission and vision of NCSM; • Equip leaders to be critical consumers of educational information, research, and policy to become change agents in their communities; • Support leaders to develop an actionable vision of mathematics instruction consistent with a view of mathematics as a sense-making endeavor. Ensuring Support to All Stakeholders • Develop networking and communication opportunities that connect the mathematics education community, as well as the broader education community; • Equip leaders with the tools to create and sustain systems that fully align with the vision of mathematics and mathematics instruction promoted by NCSM; • Equip leaders with the understanding, knowledge, and skills to continue their own personal growth, support emerging leaders, and further develop excellence in mathematics teaching. Guaranteeing All Students Engage in Equitable, High-Quality Mathematical Experiences • Provide advocacy and support regarding issues and policies affecting mathematics education in ways consistent with the mission and vision of NCSM; • Provide resources for implementation of research-informed instruction to ensure students engage in relevant and meaningful learning experiences that promote mathematics as a sense-making endeavor; • Advocate for each and every student to have access to rigorous mathematics that develops their understanding, skills, and knowledge, along with the confidence to leverage their learning, in order to improve their world. JUDY DUNMIRE NCSM INSPIRATION! ASSOCIATE EDITOR