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 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

Wednesday, May 29

Using Visual Mathematics with English Learners: Percents and Ratios

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 multiple levels of math and language proficiency to better understand abstract mathematical concepts.

• 1:00pm - 2:30pm

Thursday, May 30

When Students Resist Teaching for Conceptual Understanding

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. Students can be invested in traditional ways of teaching and learning. They may conflate succeeding in math with succeeding in a traditional classroom even if that model has not worked for them, has led them to hate math, or has convinced them that they are not good at it.

Although this can be discouraging, student resistance is important to building trust and can be an opportunity to build community.

In this workshop, we will discuss how to respond to resistance from a place of empathy and look at how math can be a tool for identifying and disrupting the effects of racism.

• 11:00am - 12:30pm