News

MTC 4 Social Justice 

Summer Stars 

They are looking to gather between 10-14 Connecticut secondary mathematics educators (grades 6-12)  for the purposes of developing more social justice math lessons and expanding our digital book and resource guide . Teachers, coaches, curriculum writers, etc. are all encouraged to apply and all participants will receive a small stipend, a T-shirt, authorship, and leadership opportunities.

See the attached flyer and our website for more information and please contact us with any questions! The application is due by May 25.

See the flyer here. 

On Wednesday evening May 11, CCLM will be holding its first in-person event since the pandemic hit all of us. And we are doing it in style with our Spring Dinner Event, featuring nationally known author-educator Dr Shelly Jones as our guest speaker. We will also be sharing an overview of the CT Mathematics Leadership Committee's Math Ed Equity Position Statement. ​You will enjoy an amazi​ng dinner buffet in a beautiful setting and several opportunities to network with colleagues from around CT as well as to participate in table discussions related to the issue of equity in math education. It should be a wonderful evening for all! CCLM is subsidizing a significant portion of the cost of this event as an additional encouraging factor to encourage your participation in this special event. Please download the attached flyer, which includes the event registration link. We sincerely hope to see you there!!

We are excited to announce next week's workshop Caloric Intake: What Matters? for next Tuesday the 19th at our usual time of 6:30-8:00pm (EST). See below for more information and the registration form. Please invite colleagues and we hope to see you next week!

 4/19 Registration

Workshop Title: Caloric Intake: What Matters?

Presenters: Taryn DiSorbo, Cheshire Public Schools; Christian McCarthy, Hamden Public Schools

Description: Currently about 1 out of 4 youth identify as being in the LGBTQIA+ community, and the fastest growing sub-population within that community are transgender and non-binary individuals - people challenging societal norms about gender identity. In this workshop, we engage participants in a lesson that introduces Algebra I vocabulary and concepts in an accessible way while allowing students to critically parse the relative importance of several factors that affect the recommended caloric intake for different people, including gender. Participants will also explore other situations where societal biases or stereotypes might be reduced or eliminated through the application of a mathematical lens.

April marks an important month in education. This month we celebrate both Financial Literacy Month and Mathematics and Statistics Awareness Month. This is an opportunity for schools to encourage students and their families to engage in learning that sets the foundation for a bright future. It is critical for students to be financially literate and to understand mathematics and statistics as important drivers in our current world. The Connecticut State Department of Education encourages districts, schools and informal education partners to promote this month by visiting the Personal Finance Showcase of Appreciation and Innovation and the Mathematics and Statistics Awareness Month  webpages. Together we can increase financial knowledge and appreciate the diverse applications of mathematics and statistics.

Hi mathematics educators!

First we are excited to announce the return of our Spotlight Series and that we are featuring Lindsay Keazer this month! Lindsay is a mathematics education professor at Sacred Heart University - read her feature here.

We are also announcing this month's workshop Broccoli or Cake? The Equity of Healthy Food Choices next Tuesday (the 15th) from 6:30-8:00pm (EST) featuring three incredible middle school educators. See below for the registration link and more information. Please invite colleagues and we hope to see you next week!

 3/15 Registration

Workshop Title: Broccoli or Cake? The Equity of Healthy Food Choices

Presenters: Maria Enrique, Ellington Public Schools; Sherryl King, Hartford Public Schools; Sarah Poppel, Hartford Public Schools

Description: Rated as the 9th most expensive state to live in, Connecticut has a high cost of living, including above-average grocery prices. In addition, the urban and rural areas tend to have more convenience stores than grocery stores. Join us for this session to participate in a lesson that engages students in a hands-on experience that causes them to think critically about the equity of healthy food choices. Participants will have the opportunity to consider a variety of social justice topics such as budget, access, cost, types of markets, and transportation.

Note: This lesson is geared towards a middle school audience, but is adaptable to other contexts.

Join CCLM for our second session of the: BOLD Mathematics Leadership Series: Using Your BOLD Leadership to ADVOCATE for Equitable Practices to Increase Student Access and Achievement. 

Details can be found here on the flyer.  As always, registration is free to CCLM members.  If you are not yet a CCLM member, register here. 

Model Curriculum:

As you may be aware CSDE is in the proceess of developing model curricula. We are currently seeking individuals with interest in volunteering to assit in this process. This will include reviewing, providing feedback, and adjusting units of study. Educators for both the K-2 and the 3-5 grade bands are needed. If you are interested please complete this form no later than March 1, 2022. If selected, you will be notified by mid-March.

Hi mathematics educators!

We are so excited to announce our next workshop and that it will be paired with a release of our digital book Connecting Mathematics and Social Justice: Lessons and Resources for Secondary Math Teachers.

The workshop will be on Intergenerational Wealth (one of the lessons in the book) from 6:30-7:40pm (EST) and the book release will immediately follow from 7:40-8:00pm (EST). You can register for either or both portions of the programming - see registration link below. Please invite friends and colleagues to help us experience meaningful mathematics and to celebrate an accomplishment!

 2/15 Registration

Workshop Title: Intergenerational Wealth: What Matters and Why?

Presenters: Joy Griffin, Regional District #11; Monica Housen, Ridgefield Public Schools

Description: Family and individual wealth is not shared equally across Connecticut and this disparity of wealth held by Connecticut families impacts the lives of future generations. Inequalities in income and wealth accumulation, combined with systemic injustices, serve to widen the wealth gap over generations. Join us for this session to experience a lesson that serves as an introduction or an extension of students’ understanding of compound interest and exponential growth. Students will use graphs to model wealth accumulation over time and explore qualitative and quantitative factors that contribute to social injustices around economic mobility.

Career and Technical Education Update

SketchUp for Schools is now free for all schools through a Web-based 3D modeling app available through Google Workspace (formerly G-Suite) and Microsoft education platforms.

SketchUp for Schools is compatible with Chromebooks and features built-in training tutorials and curricula to assist in improving students’ 3D modeling skills. SketchUp for Schools is built on the same 3D modeling platform as SketchUp Pro and can be used to design anything, from parks and skyscrapers to 3D-printable action figures. For more information, contact Harold Mackin at Harold.Mackin@ct.gov or go to SketchUp for Schools 2021 - Product | SketchUp.

The Lt. Governor's Coding Challenge "Coding for Good - Inspiring Health and Wellness For All"  is open to all Connecticut students. The challenge was officially announced on January 24th, 2022 with a press release and video. The submission portal launched on January 25th 2022. Submissions will be accepted until April 29th, 2022. Connecticut students in grades 3 through 12 are encouraged to create applications designed to inspire health and wellness for all. This year’s Lt. Governor’s Computing Challenge includes three options for submission: concept challenge, prototype challenge and development challenge. Students can work individually or as a team to submit to one challenge. A new incentive this year is the Jackson Laboratory Urban Achievement Award. Encourage your students to participate and help spread the word. More information is available at www.ltgovcc.org.