Math can be a powerful tool for identifying and disrupting the effects of racism. Developing strong skills in proportional reasoning and statistical literacy and carrying this reasoning into the world, prepares students to recognize the effects of racism and to critically question and respond to real world issues.

The Mathematics Proficiency Guide for Teachers of Adult Education is one of several companion pieces to the MA Professional Standards for Teachers of Adult Education. The Math Proficiency Guide… read more

When students work with visual models that they can see, manipulate, or create, it opens visual pathways in the brain that provide added meaning to the area of the brain that processes abstract numbers. In this workshop, we will work with visual representations of percents and ratios and discuss how this enables students at… read more

“When am I ever going to use this?”

“Just tell me how to do it.”

“This isn’t going to be on the test.” 

A challenge we may face when we teach for conceptual understanding is student pushback. Many students expect math class to be about memorizing and repeating procedures.… read more

Standardized testing, whether it is for high school equivalency or measuring student gains, is a major concern in adult numeracy classes. It can be tempting to "teach to the test" in the hopes of getting students ready to get a passing score as quickly and painlessly as possible. However, making test preparation the main focus of… read more