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Mathematics Webinar Series

K-12 Mathematics Strategies

Effective mathematics classroom instruction is essential for academic and lifelong success. This webinar series is designed to help educators understand mathematical proficiency and promote deep, meaningful math learning.

Meet the Presenters

Zandra de Araujo

Director & Research Scientist, Mathematics

José D. De León Alejandro

Manager, Mathematics

Chris Engledowl

Chris Engledowl

Senior Coordinator,
Math Research

kayla sutcliffe

Kayla Sutcliffe

Postdoctoral Researcher,
Mathematics

Strengthening Math Professional Learning in Florida: Findings and Recommendations

September 22, 2026

Intended audience: K-12 mathematics educators

In spring 2026, we conducted a follow-up to our 2023 listening tour (UF LC, 2025) to better understand the current state of mathematics-specific professional learning (PL) across Florida. This session will share findings from surveys and focus groups with teachers, school- and district-based coaches, and school and district administrators about their current needs and priorities for supporting high-quality mathematics teaching and learning in Florida schools.

Understand the current landscape of mathematics-specific professional learning across Florida, including key gaps in access, quality, and support
Identify the features of high-quality professional learning most valued by teachers, coaches, and administrators and how these align with research
Consider strategies for strengthening mathematics-specific PL through job-embedded learning, coaching, and system-level support

This webinar will share key findings from two recent briefs on mathematics-specific professional learning in Florida and highlight what they mean for the design of stronger, more coherent PL systems. Participants will leave with a clearer understanding of the current gaps in access, quality, and system support for math-specific PL, as well as practical insights into how districts and state leaders can better support sustained, job-embedded, high-quality professional learning.

Webinar 1

Identifying Opportunities to Foster Mathematical Proficiency

Recognize the five strands of mathematical proficiency.
Identify opportunities in tasks and curriculum to develop these strands.
Analyze and adapt instructional choices to support all strands.
Apply strategies across grade levels to promote proficiency beyond procedural fluency.

Educators will deepen their understanding of mathematical proficiency and explore practical strategies for fostering it through instruction and curriculum. Participants will examine how the five strands of mathematical proficiency—conceptual understanding, procedural fluency, strategic competence, adaptive reasoning, and productive disposition—can be intentionally developed in classrooms.

Through examples and activities spanning elementary, middle, and high school mathematics, teachers will learn to identify opportunities within tasks, lessons, and curriculum materials that promote meaningful mathematical learning. Participants will also analyze how instructional choices and curricular design can either support or limit students’ development of mathematical proficiency beyond procedural fluency, and consider ways to adapt tasks to better engage all five strands.

Webinar 2

Strengthening Math Proficiency Through Mathematical Discourse

Identify key components of effective mathematical discussions and their role in developing math proficiency.
Analyze curriculum materials and tasks to determine how they promote or limit opportunities for mathematical discussion.
Implement teacher moves that encourage student reasoning, justification, and sense-making.
Develop actionable next steps for integrating meaningful mathematical discussions into daily instruction.

This webinar will help educators strengthen their instructional practices by leveraging mathematical discussions as a powerful tool for improving student understanding, reasoning, and communication. When students engage in purposeful discourse, they develop conceptual understanding, mathematical precision, and confidence in sharing their ideas. Teachers will benefit by gaining strategies that promote shared participation, support all learners (including English language learners), and make student thinking more visible—leading to more responsive and effective instruction.

Webinar 3

Designing Rich Math Tasks That Build Mathematical Proficiency

Identify the defining characteristics of rich mathematical tasks.
Apply strategies that support student discourse across the four language domains: speaking, listening, reading, and writing.
Analyze existing curriculum tasks to determine their potential for promoting mathematical proficiency.
Apply strategies to enhance or adapt current tasks to increase rigor, engagement, and opportunities for reasoning.

Educators will deepen their understanding of what makes a mathematics task “rich” and how rich tasks foster mathematical proficiency. Teachers will examine characteristics of high-quality tasks that promote reasoning, problem-solving, conceptual understanding, and productive struggle. Participants will analyze sample tasks, identify elements that increase cognitive demand, and explore practical strategies for enhancing existing curriculum materials to create more meaningful and rigorous learning experiences for students.

Webinar 4

Building Math Proficiency Through Mathematical Connections

Identify different types of mathematical connections (within grade, across grades, within mathematics, and to real-world contexts).
Understand how fostering connections supports the development of mathematical proficiency.
Analyze curriculum and instructional practices to determine how they support or limit connections.
Apply strategies to intentionally highlight and build connections during instruction.

Participants will explore the essential role of mathematical connections in developing deep and lasting math proficiency. Teachers will examine how connections within a grade level, across grade levels, within mathematical domains, and beyond mathematics to real-world applications strengthen student understanding. Through practical examples and instructional strategies, participants will learn how to intentionally design learning experiences that help students see mathematics as a coherent, connected discipline rather than a set of isolated skills.

Webinar 5

Student Habits, Engagement and Mathematical Proficiency

Understand the role of productive struggle in building mathematical proficiency.
Recognize the value of errors as a natural and important part of the learning process.
Identify strategies to increase student engagement and perseverance in mathematics.
Apply instructional practices that promote positive mathematical habits and mindsets.
Develop actionable steps to foster a classroom culture that supports risk-taking, reflection, and sustained effort.

In this webinar, participants will explore the critical role of student habits and dispositions in developing mathematical proficiency. Teachers will examine how productive struggle, perseverance, and a positive approach to errors contribute to deeper understanding and long-term learning. Participants will learn practical strategies to create classroom environments where students are actively engaged, take intellectual risks, and view mistakes as valuable opportunities for growth. The session will also highlight ways to foster student ownership and sustained engagement in mathematics.

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