2024 Northwest Mathematics Conference: Full Schedule

2:30pm PDT

Building a Solid Foundation : Ensuring Students’ Pathways Through Math Don’t Have Potholes

Thursday October 24, 2024 2:30pm - 4:30pm PDT

Many teachers set instructional and assessment tasks where students do math, but do not really need to understand the math they are doing. We will contrast such tasks with others that both build understanding and that assess understanding. We will discuss strategies to make it easier for a teacher to identify and create tasks that build and demonstrate understanding throughout the grades.

Speakers

Marian Small

Author and International Professional Development Consultant for Improved Mathematics Education

Marian Small has authored more than 100 resources for teachers and students at the K- 12 level. She writes and speaks about K-12 math around the world. Her focus is on teacher questioning to get at the important math, to include and extend all students, and to focus on critical thinking... Read More →

Thursday October 24, 2024 2:30pm - 4:30pm PDT
Empress A/B/C 4599 Chateau Blvd, Whistler, BC V8E 0Z5, Canada

Primary to Middle Primary Intermediate Middle

8:30am PDT

Early Numeracy- The Secret to Success

Friday October 25, 2024 8:30am - 9:45am PDT

Macdonald E, Fairmont

A cornerstone for learning, especially in math, is practice, building confidence and helping young students become comfortable with the language of numbers.
Mindful instruction is a big part of developing student confidence and of exploring the wonderful world of numbers. JUMP Math, a Canadian Charity provides free resources to teachers- In this workshop, we will explore how you can develop Math fluency and understanding through mindful instruction.

Speakers

Liz Barrett

First Nations Outreach Manager for JUMP Math, Jump Math

Liz Barrett was awarded the 2016 award for Partner in Indigenous Education from INDSPIRE for her work in Mathematics in Indigenous communities in Canada. Liz, a teacher, emigrated from South Africa to Canada. Liz joined JUMP Math 20 years ago as a volunteer and now works and travels... Read More →

Friday October 25, 2024 8:30am - 9:45am PDT
Macdonald E, Fairmont 4599 Chateau Blvd, Whistler, BC V8E 0Z5, Canada

Primary, Exhibitor

8:30am PDT

Solidify Student Success in Mathematics

Friday October 25, 2024 8:30am - 9:45am PDT

Macdonald F, Fairmont

Discover a suite of adaptive and game-based systems to enhance your math lessons and solidify student success! These programs support conceptual understanding of fundamental mathematical concepts, and with comprehensive data reporting and additional teacher support materials, teachers can easily identify where and when intervention is required. Engage in research-based instructional methods that focus attention, encourage growth and provide a safe environment for all learners!

Speakers

Lindsay Beaulieu

Implementation Coordinator, ExploreLearning

Lindsay Beaulieu has taught in the classroom for the past ten years and has witnessed the impact of Gizmos on student understanding. Lindsay has been using Gizmos in the classroom since she began teaching. Lindsay joined ExploreLearning last year as an Implementation Coordinator to... Read More →

Friday October 25, 2024 8:30am - 9:45am PDT
Macdonald F, Fairmont 4599 Chateau Blvd, Whistler, BC V8E 0Z5, Canada

Primary to Intermediate, Exhibitor | Primary, Exhibitor | Intermediate, Exhibitor

8:30am PDT

Beyond Word Problems- Use of I Stories and Drawing to Help Students Build Math Concepts (All ages, yet focus on Elementary)

Friday October 25, 2024 8:30am - 9:45am PDT

Emerald B, Westin

Why are word problems limiting for our students? Do they know how to pick apart the patterns in them, yet still don’t really get the meaning of them? There is a reason (several!). This workshop will be interactive and combine some theory with lots of practical ideas. Dr. Porter will share some findings from her recent dissertation on the use of drawing and I-story to help students build conceptual understanding of foundational math. Participants will be engaged in creating some initial I-story ideas to bring back to their classrooms, as well as try out some simple drawing techniques to use with their students right away.

Speakers

Erin Porter

Dr. Erin Porter has her EdD from the University of Portland, where she specialized in Neuroeducation. Her dissertation explored the use of drawing and story to build conceptual understanding in foundational math. She taught elementary school for over twenty years, math being her favorite... Read More →

Friday October 25, 2024 8:30am - 9:45am PDT
Emerald B, Westin 4090 Whistler Way, Whistler, BC V8E 1J3

Primary to Middle Primary Intermediate Middle

10:05am PDT

Interwoven Perspectives: Exploring Math and Art with the Salish Weave Collection

Friday October 25, 2024 10:05am - 11:20am PDT

Nordic, Westin

Delve into the interplay between mathematics and the art of the Salish Weave Collection, focusing on prints in school program box sets. Discover how mathematical thinking can be developed and enhanced by Coast Salish art and the stories and knowledge held within it. Explore how a mathematical lens deepens understanding of the art and makes connections to culture, community, land, and place. The curricular focus of this workshop presentation will be the BC kindergarten to grade 3 curriculum but teachers from all grades will gain insight for weaving together math and Coast Salish art.

Speakers

Sandra Fox

Sandra lives and works on the unceded, traditional and ancestral territories the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), sel̓íl̓witulh (Tsleil-Waututh), and sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish) nations. She works for the Vancouver School Board (SD39) as a District Curriculum Support Teacher for... Read More →

Friday October 25, 2024 10:05am - 11:20am PDT
Nordic, Westin 4599 Chateau Blvd, Whistler, BC V8E 0Z5, Canada

Primary, Indigenous

10:05am PDT

Leveraging Student Strategies Through Number Talks

Friday October 25, 2024 10:05am - 11:20am PDT

Macdonald F, Fairmont

How can leverage student thinking to move thinking forward? In this session, participants will look at how Number Talks can leverage student thinking and the strategies they bring as they become more efficient, flexible, and accurate mathematicians. We will look at what Number Talks is, how we can easily integrate it into our math class, discuss small tweaks to improve assessment, and extend the routine as we put students in the driver’s seat. Number Talks will change your practice! Join us and find out how and why.

Speakers

Chad Williams

Educator, Beyond the Algorithm

Chad Williams is a primary teacher from Saskatoon, SK, he works with pre-service teachers at the University of Saskatchewan in the area of Mathematics and Literacy, he is the past president of the Saskatchewan Mathematics teachers' Society, he is the curator of the website Beyond... Read More →

Friday October 25, 2024 10:05am - 11:20am PDT
Macdonald F, Fairmont 4599 Chateau Blvd, Whistler, BC V8E 0Z5, Canada

Primary

10:05am PDT

Building Confidence through Student Engagement in a Math Festival

Friday October 25, 2024 10:05am - 11:20am PDT

Macdonald E, Fairmont

Are you searching for ideas to create engaging magical math moments that encourage your diverse students? If so, join us for three hands-on, play-based, and standards-aligned activities that will ignite participation in an inclusive classroom setting. The purpose of this session is to promote the development of teachers' content knowledge by engaging in professional discussions and collaborative activities focused on the teaching of mathematics. Participants will gain a better understanding of how to promote and implement open-ended problem-solving as a way of learning and practicing mathematics with low-floor/high-ceiling.

Speakers

Annette Rouleau

VP of Education & Engagement, Julia Robinson Mathematics Festival

Laurie James

Faculty, University of Hawaii West Oahu

Dr. Laurie James is an Associate Professor of Math Education at the University of Hawai'i – West O'ahu and has been a professional educator serving diverse student populations for over 25 years. James teaches math methods courses to elementary and secondary teacher candidates that... Read More →

Friday October 25, 2024 10:05am - 11:20am PDT
Macdonald E, Fairmont 4599 Chateau Blvd, Whistler, BC V8E 0Z5, Canada

Primary to Intermediate Primary Intermediate

10:05am PDT

Fostering Creativity in Math: Celebrating Alternative Perspectives

Friday October 25, 2024 10:05am - 11:20am PDT

Macdonald A, Fairmont

Although there are certainly many people who like math because they see it as narrow and predictable, we lose many students who value the chance to be more creative. We will talk about how much richer both your and your students' experience in math class is when we celebrate diverse responses rather than only consistent responses from all students. We want to help students see that there are many opportunities in math to display creativity and that the whole class benefits from these situations. Much of the session will focus on how to set tasks to encourage students to take risks to show the rest of us their personal approaches.

Speakers

Marian Small

Author and International Professional Development Consultant for Improved Mathematics Education

Friday October 25, 2024 10:05am - 11:20am PDT
Macdonald A, Fairmont

Primary to Middle Primary Intermediate Middle

12:00pm PDT

A Conceptual Journey Through Early Number

Friday October 25, 2024 12:00pm - 1:15pm PDT

Emerald B, Westin

Pack your bag for a conceptual journey through early number. We will begin with counting and continue through to unitizing, stopping regularly to assess the landscape through the lens of student thinking. Games, story contexts, digital tools and number routines will be introduced and unpacked to help you know the math, know the learner and know the moves to develop fluency and flexibility for all.

Speakers

Jamie Fraser

Onsite contact: Jamie Fraser, Bound2Learn

Jamie’s has been a teacher, consultant and curriculum designer. A common theme throughout: the teacher is the reason behind student achievement. What teachers do is magic, but it is also science. Jamie’s work continues to pursue the ever-evolving understanding of how teachers... Read More →

Friday October 25, 2024 12:00pm - 1:15pm PDT
Emerald B, Westin 4090 Whistler Way, Whistler, BC V8E 1J3

Primary

12:00pm PDT

Empowering Math Educators: Launching Your MathUP Journey with a 20-Day Plan

Friday October 25, 2024 12:00pm - 1:15pm PDT

Macdonald A, Fairmont

An increasing number of BC teachers are using MathUP, but it takes some getting used to.
This session will suggest a great way to start the new school year establishing a positive math culture in your classroom and getting both you and your students comfortable with this very rich resource. And, by the way, your first 20 math classes are already planned!

Speakers

Marian Small

Author and International Professional Development Consultant for Improved Mathematics Education

Friday October 25, 2024 12:00pm - 1:15pm PDT
Macdonald A, Fairmont

Primary to Intermediate, Exhibitor | Primary, Exhibitor | Intermediate, Exhibitor

12:00pm PDT

Learning Through Whole Group Games

Friday October 25, 2024 12:00pm - 1:15pm PDT

Macdonald F, Fairmont

Come ready to participate in a variety of whole group games that cover the concepts of probability, place value, basic computation, problem solving strategies and much more. Leave with resources you can immediately use in your classroom. All materials are easy to find and will be in most classrooms already. These games are classroom tested and you and your students will love them as much as we do.

Speakers

Sally Wood

I have just retired after 40 years of teaching middle school and upper elementary. I am an avid learner who loves math. My teaching partner and I have presented workshops at the local, state, regional and national level for many years. We have presented at seven NCTM conferences and... Read More →

Elizabeth Warren

Friday October 25, 2024 12:00pm - 1:15pm PDT
Macdonald F, Fairmont 4599 Chateau Blvd, Whistler, BC V8E 0Z5, Canada

Primary to Intermediate Primary Intermediate

1:35pm PDT

Do the Math: Numeracy Intervention

Friday October 25, 2024 1:35pm - 2:50pm PDT

Macdonald E, Fairmont

Join us in this interactive session and Do The Math. You will discover support for intervention and classroom activities. An overview of assessments and lessons along a learning trajectory developed by Marilyn Burns will be shared. You will learn about how to support the development of students' whole number and fraction understanding and skills, as it relates to the BC curriculum Grades 1-5. Participants will leave with an overview of the Do the Math Program by Marilyn Burns and some practical lessons to work with students in their classrooms.

Speakers

Gerry Varty

Pearson Canada K-12

For over 35 years, Gerry has been a classroom teacher, school and district leader, and tireless advocate for professional learning support. In his work with Pearson Canada and Marzano Research, in schools and districts across North America, Gerry is an outspoken advocate of lifelong... Read More →

Friday October 25, 2024 1:35pm - 2:50pm PDT
Macdonald E, Fairmont 4599 Chateau Blvd, Whistler, BC V8E 0Z5, Canada

Primary, Exhibitor

1:35pm PDT

Good Questions for K&1: Building Number Sense

Friday October 25, 2024 1:35pm - 2:50pm PDT

Emerald C, Westin

In this session for teachers of kindergarten and grade 1 we will explore tasks, games and literature connections designed to engage our youngest students in thinking big about important mathematical concepts. Whole group lessons, hands-on explorations, centres tasks and more will be shared to involve all learners in developing number sense and the ability to communicate their emerging understandings. Together we will draw on tasks from Carole's teacher resource entitled "Good Questions for K&1", which will be available to purchase.
Come prepared to play!

Speakers

Carole Fullerton

Mind-Full Ed. Consulting

Carole Fullerton is passionate about mathematics instruction. Carole is a teacher-leader working in K-12 classrooms across Canada to support the development of quality numeracy instruction. Addressing student diversity through rich questions, teaching through problem-solving and planning... Read More →

Friday October 25, 2024 1:35pm - 2:50pm PDT
Emerald C, Westin 4090 Whistler Way, Whistler, BC V8E 1J3

Primary, Exhibitor

1:35pm PDT

A personalized and adaptive math learning path thanks to AI

Friday October 25, 2024 1:35pm - 2:50pm PDT

Emerald A, Westin

Matific is an award-winning and pedagogically rigorous mathematics learning platform used by millions of learners worldwide. Designed by pedagogical experts and developed with a goal of providing a deep conceptual understanding of the foundational building blocks in K-7 mathematics, Matific's vision is to provide every learner with a mathematical experience of the highest possible quality. Our artificial intelligence and report system propel Matific to be the #1 numeracy resource throughout Canada. Matific is designed to include a variety of assignments to ensure the learners learn and practice all the concepts included in your curriculum. This session will be conducted in English but teachers who work in French or in another language will get to see how Matific supports 45 languages.

Speakers

Renée Michaud

Consultante en mathématiques/Math Consultant, RLM Consulting

Renée Michaud is an independent Mathematics Consultant. She provides professional development to a variety of schools and school districts in French and in English in Western Canada and beyond. She has presented various math sessions at Alberta Teachers’ Conventions over the past... Read More →

Friday October 25, 2024 1:35pm - 2:50pm PDT
Emerald A, Westin 4090 Whistler Way, Whistler, BC V8E 1J3

Primary to Middle, AI, Exhibitor | Primary, AI, Exhibitor | Intermediate, AI, Exhibitor | Middle, AI, Exhibitor

8:30am PDT

The Early Primary Mathematical Landscape: Emergent and Inquiry-Led Math

Saturday October 26, 2024 8:30am - 9:45am PDT

Macdonald C, Fairmont

Every class has a diverse and unique mathematical landscape. In this workshop, we will discuss how we develop meaningful and dynamic math learning through the use of the natural environment, individual perspectives, shared experiences, and the BC curriculum. We will share strategies for embracing fluid and emergent inquiry-based learning in your classroom and we will highlight ways to harness children's natural curiosities and transform them into meaningful math moments. Join us as we navigate the dynamic world of math, where every classroom holds its own treasure trove of learning opportunities waiting to be discovered!

Speakers

Brittany Roshea

Linda Radford

Saturday October 26, 2024 8:30am - 9:45am PDT
Macdonald C, Fairmont 4599 Chateau Blvd, Whistler, BC V8E 0Z5, Canada

Primary

8:30am PDT

Grounding Mathematics in Relation to Place

Saturday October 26, 2024 8:30am - 9:45am PDT

Nordic, Westin

This workshop will review and explore a locally-developed framework that supports holistic instruction through hands-on opportunities for teachers and students to build deeper meaning in relation to place.
By thoughtfully designing mathematical approaches and provocations that heighten awareness of the relationships we have with the land, educators can expand on the quantitative computational activities and relationships that the natural world has to offer.
The creation of this framework was made possible by a BCAMT grant that was awarded in the 2022-23 school year.

Speakers

Erin Russell

Erin Russell (she/her) is a teacher of settler descent, living on southern Vancouver Island on unceded Coast Salish territories of the lək̓ʷəŋən and W̱SÁNEĆ peoples, and working on the Coast Salish territories of Scia'new/Beecher Bay, T'Sou-ke, and Nuu'chah'nulth Pacheedaht... Read More →

Saturday October 26, 2024 8:30am - 9:45am PDT
Nordic, Westin 4599 Chateau Blvd, Whistler, BC V8E 0Z5, Canada

Primary to Intermediate, Indigenous | Primary, Indigenous | Intermediate, Indigenous

10:05am PDT

Storytelling and Mathematics: Connecting Place, Identity, and Joy

Saturday October 26, 2024 10:05am - 11:20am PDT

Macdonald C, Fairmont

Storytelling in mathematics creates opportunities for children to connect math to their daily lives and the world around them through joyful learning experiences. During this session, examples from primary classrooms will be shared as students engage in problem solving, problem posing, and mathematical storytelling. Different starting points and materials to inspire students will be shared. The mathematical focus of the session will be on developing number concepts, computational fluency, and spatial reasoning.

Speakers

Janice Novakowski

District Teacher Consultant, Richmond School District - Learning Services

Janice Novakowski has taught preschool, kindergarten and primary classes and is currently district teacher consultant in the Richmond School District and an Adjunct Professor at UBC. She facilitates the BC Reggio-Inspired Mathematics Project and is part of the BC Numeracy Network... Read More →

Saturday October 26, 2024 10:05am - 11:20am PDT
Macdonald C, Fairmont 4599 Chateau Blvd, Whistler, BC V8E 0Z5, Canada

Primary