Building Thinking Classrooms (BTC) has gained widespread adoption in mathematics education. However, uncritical implementation can harm students TODOS seeks to serve, particularly marginalized populations, such as disabled and English Language learners. This session addresses TODOS's mission to advance equitable, high-quality mathematics education by examining how instructional practices associated with BTC can inadvertently marginalize students.
Associate Professor, Secondary Education, Utah Valley University
Trevor Warburton is an Associate Professor in Secondary Education at Utah Valley University. Formerly a mathematics coach for special education teachers and a high school mathematics teacher for emergent multilingual students. Trevor is a proponent of equity and antiracism in education... Read More →
The University of Arizona and City University of New York
Alison Mirin recently completed her postdoctoral researcher position in the mathematics department at the University of Arizona and is now a researcher at the City University of New York. She earned her PhD in Mathematics Education from Arizona State University and holds an MA in... Read More →
Thursday June 25, 2026 9:00am - 10:30am PDT Terrace AB
Our session focuses on the use of rehearsals, a space of decreased complexity within professional learning to try out pedagogical moves. We share four teachers, from grades 6-11, who rehearsed mathematical language routines (MLRs), specifically the MLR Collect & Display, during Studio Day professional learning. During our session, we will provide an overview of Collect & Display and the use of rehearsals before sharing teachers’ rehearsals of Collect & Display and how the use of these rehearsals allowed teachers to work in community to catalyze their instruction through sharing instruction, reflecting on that instruction, and continuing to revise that instruction.
In this session, we explore acts of rebellion as a pedagogical innovation and a site of learning to explore how we can disrupt dominant narratives in math education. Through interactive activities, participants will have opportunities to witness and hear about acts of rebellion, reflect on their own individual acts of rebellion, and then shift the conversation toward collective action and solidarity. Our aim is to center humanity in its most complex form, highlighting the ongoing challenges of embodying justice in teacher education.
In this session, we will review three MLL Instructional Material Design Features for core math materials: - Mapping Content and Language Development - Monitoring Content and Language Development - Making Connections through Student Collaboration and Conversation and unpack their role as “ignitors” to effectively support mathematical language development along with deep math learning. Join us to discuss how informed choices can reduce disparities and create equitable opportunities for multilingual learners in mathematics education. Walk away with a deeper understanding of these 3 “Materials Must-Haves” and tools to embed these in your adoption or implementation plans.
While tiered intervention is one tool for supporting students struggling to demonstrate proficiency, there is often a lot more we can do in Tier 1 to make math more accessible and engaging for all students. We share how teachers can create a richer, more accessible math experience for all by designing for alternate means of expression–that is, having students engage with math ideas and demonstrate understanding via a variety of options that align with their strengths, abilities, and preferences and leverage their own mathematical, cultural, linguistic, and community-based funds of knowledge.
