Let math spark connection

What if every child could experience joy in math?

Together with families and educators passionate about building culturally responsive classrooms in Seattle Public Schools, the Learning for Equity Network is supporting the design of equitable learning environments for students furthest from educational justice.

Developing the path forward together

Culturally responsive instruction and inclusive classrooms are pivotal to a student’s learning experience. Through professional development sessions and co-learning, math fellows examine their instructional practice and incorporate learnings into their lessons to foster math moments that value student identity and highlight ways that mathematics is used to explore the world.

Participating educators explore
  • Key actions that support ambitious teaching
  • Classroom strategies that support student mathematical identity and agency
  • Real-time adjustments to in-classroom strategies and instruction based on feedback from district math coaches
Our group of educators

2021-2022 Math Fellow Cohort

Top row L-R:
Jeffrey Freiberg, Bailey Gatzert
Michael Tamayo, John Muir
Karen McHegg, John Muir
Donna Duarte, Thurgood Marshall
Sine Bodden, Thurgood Marshall
Lologo Lologo, Leschi

Bottom row L-R
Rachel Matteo, Lowell
Catherine Comings, Lowell
Sylvie Kovnat, John Muir
Melissa Woodbridge, Bailey Gatzert
Chloe Reed, Thurgood Marshall
Bryan Street, SPS
Anita Lenges, University of Washington

Missing from photo
Aschenaki Lulu, Bailey Gatzert
Glenn Ford, Rising Star
Kyle Jackson, II, Rising Star
Monica Sylver, Rising Star
Danielle Meier, Rising Star

Fellows collectively brainstorming the definition of ambitious equitable math instruction.
Math Fellow participating in a number line activity
Lologo walking fellows through a celebration hands exercise that he utilizes with students in his classroom for recognition.
Spring Math Fellow group photo
Jeff and Lologo brainstorming explanations to the group math problem
Jeff adding his reason for joining the network to a group wall

What is ambitious, equitable math instruction?

We asked math fellows to brainstorm what ambitious equitable math instruction looks like to them, how it manifests in the classroom, and potential emerging strategies that they might want to explore. This list is their brainstorm. Download the 2021-2022 cohort’s complete brainstorm to see a snapshot of their thoughts to kick off their learning in the fellowship program.

Families are involved and informed
Students feel recognized and represented
Lessons with multiple access points
Small-group time
Anti-racist
Focus on student strengths
Assessments that promote learning
Experience honoring
It is okay to make mistakes
Welcoming, mistakes, revisions and seeing them as opportunities to learn
Real-world problems. Authentic reasons for use of math
Multiple strategies
Use and connect mathematical representations
Meaningful feedback
Asset based
A belief that everyone can do math
Meeting students where they are at
Different ways to show knowledge
Fluid groupings
Intentional grouping/pairing

Explore Math Moments

Connecting for Change

School systems are complex webs of people, information, policies and practices. Each person, whether an administrator, teacher, student, or community member experiences the system differently. Because of this, when faced with systemic challenges, it can

August 1, 2022
Bringing people together to unite around common goals so that every child has the opportunity to thrive.

The Learning for Equity Network is supported by the Seattle University Sundborg Center for Community Engagement that serves as the backbone organization providing logistical coordination, communications, data, and programmatic design to facilitate the initiative.

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