Kane County Institute Day 2025

Join us for a math session designed specifically for K-3 educators focused on enhancing students' addition and subtraction understanding. This session is dedicated to equipping K-3 teachers with practical strategies to support and extend learners at all levels of proficiency. We will delve into the progression of counting and base ten concepts, examining student work and aligning our approaches with educational standards.
During this session, we will explore:

• The foundational stages of counting and understanding base ten.
• Effective methods to support and challenge students based on their current understanding of addition and subtraction.
• How to interpret and utilize student work to guide instructional decisions.
• Techniques to align classroom practices with relevant standards to ensure comprehensive learning.

Participants will leave with a deeper understanding of the mathematical progression in early elementary grades and a toolkit of actionable ideas to foster and extend mathematical skills in their students. Whether you're looking to support struggling learners or challenge advanced students, this session offers valuable insights and resources for every educator aiming to build strong arithmetic foundations.

Session Objectives:

• Look at student work to develop an understanding of the progression of addition and subtraction 
• Use a planning tool (Forecasting Guide) to plan lessons to reach all learners in a student centered way 

This session covers best practices in teaching and practicing math vocabulary for all students, but especially beneficial for ELL or SPED students. Using these key ideas and strategies, students will make better connections to math content, which will translate into better understanding of concepts. Teachers will leave with resources and ideas to use in every math lesson.

A session to help you deepen your students' understanding of multiplication and division in this targeted session for 3rd to 5th grade educators. This session is tailored to empower teachers with the tools and strategies needed to effectively support and extend students' mathematical skills across varying levels of comprehension.
In this session, we will:

• Explore the progression of skills and understanding as students develop their ability to multiply and divide.
• Analyze student work to identify common misconceptions and areas for growth.
• Examine effective models and strategies that support diverse learners in mastering multiplication and division.
• Align teaching practices with educational standards to ensure robust and coherent instruction.

Participants will gain insights into the cognitive development of multiplication and division skills and leave with a repertoire of practical approaches to foster student growth. Whether your goal is to reinforce foundational skills or to challenge advanced learners, this session provides valuable perspectives and resources to elevate your mathematics instruction. Join us to enhance your teaching toolkit and support every student on their path to mastering multiplication and division.

Small group instruction provides an opportunity for flexible and differentiated learning in the math classroom. Learn how to keep your students engaged, give them choice, and tailor instruction based on student needs - all while using a manageable teacher system. Participants will learn how to plan and implement guided math, and leave with resources to use in the classroom. 

This session will explore a system to structuring a successful MTSS process for your school or district. Participants will reflect on and evaluate current systems and practices, and leave with a plan and resources to bring to their school.

Unlock the power of problem-solving in your math classroom in this session focused on transforming students' approach to word problems and gain strategies to engage students in deep, meaningful mathematical thinking.
In this session, you will:

• Discover practical techniques to foster productive struggle and encourage perseverance in solving math word problems.
• Learn how to facilitate rich math discussions that promote critical thinking and understanding.
• Explore ways to integrate these strategies seamlessly into your existing curriculum, making problem-solving an integral part of your students' learning experience.
• Gain insights into how to build students' confidence and empower them to tackle word problems with competence and creativity.

By focusing on student-centered approaches and encouraging active engagement, this session will help you transform how your students perceive and solve word problems. You'll leave with a toolkit of strategies to inspire and empower your students, turning confusion into confidence and making word problems a rewarding challenge rather than a daunting task. Join us to ignite a passion for problem-solving and empower your students to succeed!

Dive into the heart of middle school mathematics and gain practical strategies to encourage students to embrace productive struggle and deepen their understanding through rich mathematical discourse.
In this session, we will:

• Explore effective methods to foster a classroom environment where productive struggle is valued and encouraged.
• Examine real student work and classroom video to discover math discourse facilitation techniques that get every child meaningfully engaged. 
• Align the teacher moves in order to build students’ social and emotional skills and math mindset.  

Through a blend of analysis and hands-on activities, participants will gain insights into how to motivate students to persevere through challenging problems and engage deeply with mathematical concepts. You'll leave equipped with a variety of strategies to seamlessly integrate productive struggle and discourse into your teaching, helping students to not only connect with the math content but also to develop critical thinking skills and resilience. Join us to transform your math classroom into a vibrant space of exploration, discussion, and discovery!

Peter Liljedahl's book Building Thinking Classrooms in Mathematics: 14 Teaching Practices for Enhanced Learning in Grades K-12 has become a game changer for teachers all over the country and is a very powerful way to structure your math routines! These strategies focus on best practices in math instruction & grading/feedback approaches, so your students are engaged, motivated, and growing in the math classroom. This session will introduce you to the Building Thinking Classrooms’ approach, then cover the first 3 strategies from the book, set up as a "toolkit" that is explained, dissected, and then can be implemented in any mathematics classroom. You do not need to have read or have the book to attend this session.