See below for upcoming SABES PD events for Math & Numeracy. Or, check out the Math & Numeracy Upcoming Events Calendar tab anytime!
Note: you are welcome to request Math & Numeracy instructional coaching for program staff. If interested, please submit a Contact Us request.
All PD offerings are online and facilitated unless indicated otherwise.
Wednesday, May 1
CALM Introduction (Self-Paced Modules)
This course is designed for teachers who are using or want to use the Curriculum for Adults Learning Math (CALM). CALM was created by the SABES Mathematics and Numeracy Curriculum & Instruction PD center to give teachers a full, rich, conceptually-based curriculum. CALM teaches conceptual understanding of skills from roughly College and Career Readiness Standards for Adult Education (CCRSAE) levels B – E (GLE 3-12) and contains thorough unit plans, lesson plans, and supporting materials. Because CALM is different from traditional curricula, it is important to understand its structure and philosophy to be able to use it effectively. This course will introduce you to the logistical elements of CALM and its guiding principles.
To obtain access to CALM and to use it effectively, teachers will need to complete this introduction and are strongly encouraged to attend the ongoing live online CALM Support sessions after completing or while doing this course to experience what CALM activities feel like and how they build deep and long-lasting understanding. Teachers who already use CALM can also benefit from this course as a refresher.
- 9:00am (Self-paced course opens)
Monday, May 6
Introduction to Teaching Skills That Matter (Self-Paced Modules)
This introduction to the Teaching Skills That Matter in Adult Education (TSTM) Toolkit provides an overview of the toolkit framework. The introduction also provides materials and guidance to train teachers to incorporate the skills that matter into adult education programming by using instructional approaches that work across relevant topic focus areas that are connected to student needs. Using the TSTM project’s tools and training, adult education teachers can teach the transferable skills students need in these critical contexts.
- 9:00am (Self-paced course opens)
Tuesday, May 7
Reasoning With Ratios in the ESOL Classroom (Online Blended)
Adults encounter ratios and proportions all the time in news or media statistics as well as when estimating risk, shopping for the best deal, creating mixtures and recipes, or performing countless other daily activities. The ability to reason about these numerical relationships develops over a long period of time and through deliberate exploration of the mathematics involved. Language teachers can provide opportunities for students to encounter and expand their ability to reason with ratios in real-life contexts.
This course is for English language teachers who want to deepen their own conceptual understanding of ratios and proportions and to learn strategies for helping students build ratio reasoning skills.
- 9:00am (Self-paced course opens)
- June 6 | 1:00 - 3:00pm (optional)
Wednesday, May 8
Will This Be on the Test?
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 instruction does not create lasting learning and often is not even effective in achieving passing scores or demonstrating gains. It is possible to teach conceptually and do explicit test preparation at the same time. When students get exposure to—and practice with—standardized test questions in a context that prioritizes conceptual understanding and flexible thinking, they will be more prepared to achieve test scores that fully reflect their skills and understandings.
- May 8 | 1:00 - 2:30pm
- May 15 | 1:00 - 2:30pm
Friday, May 17
New Program Directors: Meet and Greet With SABES Directors!
For new directors and veteran directors of newly funded adult education programs, the first months and years can be a unique challenge as you learn how to do your job, while also leading and supporting everyone around you. If you’re wondering where to even begin or are looking for resources and colleagues to support you, join us for this 60-minute meet and greet with SABES.
At SABES, we strive to be a valuable resource and partner for you and members of your team. This “meet and greet” session is designed to provide new directors with an overview of the SABES professional development (PD) system. You will have the opportunity to meet directors from the five SABES centers—Math & Numeracy; English Language Arts (ELA); ESOL; Program Support; and the SABES Communication Center—and begin a conversation about the many ways we can work together in support of high-quality programs and student outcomes.
We also want to hear from you! While we will provide you with information about SABES, the primary purpose of this meeting is to build relationships as a first step of what we hope will be enduring collaborative efforts.
- 10:30am - 11:30am
Tuesday, May 21
Using the Math Proficiency Guide to Become a More Effective Math Teacher (Self-Paced Modules)
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 is designed to inform the practice of new, developing, and advanced instructors who teach math to adult learners.
This virtual course will provide participants with practical ways to learn from and implement the material in the Math Proficiency Guide to improve their own math instruction. The course is designed for both new and experienced adult education math instructors.
The instructional strategies and ideas presented in this course are appropriate for all levels of math classes, whether your students are native English speakers or ESOL learners. The material is also designed to identify ways to make math instruction more equitable and culturally responsive for diverse student populations and communities.
- 9:00am (Self-paced course opens)
Thursday, May 23
Creating Math Classrooms Where Students Participate
As teachers, we often notice that students who participate in other subjects shut down when it comes time for math. What is it about their experiences that leads them to believe that math class is not a place for them? Adult education students receive many messages, from both external and internal sources, about their ability to do and learn math. Some students have “learned” that they are not good at math and feel as though their ideas and questions do not belong in math. In this workshop, we will examine how systemic racism has damaged many students' sense of themselves as math students. We will also share instructional practices to engage students and help them develop positive math identities.
- 11:00am - 12:30pm
