For years, I thought my daughter was doing well in math. She took an accelerated math class in 8th grade that included Algebra I concepts and scored in the 90th percentile on the state test. The following year, she was placed in another accelerated course that covered Geometry and Algebra 2 content, and once again, she performed well on the state assessment. On paper, everything looked fine. More than fine, actually. Her course placements suggested she was ahead, her scores s

Dr. Pamela Seda · Mathematics Education Consultant Every school leader I've ever worked with has stood in the back of a math classroom and felt some version of the same quiet discomfort: something about this lesson isn't quite right — but I can't put my finger on it. The students are working. The teacher is teaching. The curriculum is district-approved. The answers on the board are correct. And yet, something feels off. Most principals walk out of that classroom and say nothi

Every classroom operates with an invisible compass: what teachers believe about how students learn math. These beliefs quietly shape the...

When we talk about differentiation in math classrooms, especially for students who struggle, the go-to solution is often to “make the...