Deepen mathematics content knowledge. Hone implementation of instructional routines. Build professional capacity.
The Center for Mathematics Achievement is dedicated to ensuring that every student has access to the highest quality mathematics teaching and learning. The center has improved the content knowledge and teaching of math teachers nationally and internationally, having a profound impact on thousands of students.
Directed by Hilary Kreisberg, the center supports teachers, coaches, specialists, teacher leaders, and administrators through workshops, professional learning, webinars, coaching, and consultation. Whether you travel to Lesley University, we travel to you, or we collaborate virtually, you’ll be engaged in a process that will benefit both you and your students.
See our Center for Mathematics Achievement blog for our most recent updates, thoughts, sharings, and learnings.
Making homework help better
Professional Learning Opportunities
If your school or district is looking for math professional development, we offer a variety of services that will increase student achievement and lead to improvement in student and teacher perceptions of mathematics. Explore our offerings, and contact us at 617-349-8311 or mathachievement@lesley.edu to discuss how we can help you. The best option is a combination of services. According to the Institute of Education Sciences (PDF), effective professional development displays three primary characteristics:
- It's sustained over time
- It’s collaborative
- It allows teachers to practice concepts.
That’s why we offer professional development through various opportunities. We want to ensure that our collaboration and partnerships are effective.
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Teacher and Leadership Development
Professional learning opportunities on-site or remotely via video conferencing:
Teacher and Leadership Learning Opportunities
- Learning Walk Facilitation: Are you looking for external partners to advise and offer feedback on your school or district’s implementation of a specific math curriculum or of math learning in general? Sign up to conduct a Learning Walk with one of our Math Education Experts where you will observe classroom learning using our very own research-based protocol. We provide guidance, next steps, and feedback in an easy-to-digest manner.
- Teacher Learning Opportunities: We collaborate with you to offer personalized workshops and learning opportunities for teachers, paraprofessionals, and those who have direct impact on student learning. We customize these workshops to meet the needs of your school or district’s specific needs and meet teachers where they are.
- Leadership Learning Opportunities: As educators improve their practice, it’s also critical that leaders do, too. We offer workshops for leadership teams to analyze their practice, deepen their mathematical content knowledge, and understand what to look for when evaluating mathematics teaching and learning.
- Professional Learning topics:
Select an option from this list or request something new. Either way we’ll tailor the experience to your needs.- Teaching Mathematics in a Remote Environment
- Deepening Mathematical Discourse in Distance Learning
- How to Use Virtual Manipulatives, Digital Whiteboards, and Math Apps to Leverage Distance Learning Instruction in Mathematics
- Aligning Curriculum with Content Standards
- Deepening Understanding of the Standards for Mathematical Practice
- Differentiating Math Instruction to Meet All Needs
- Enhancing Instructional Routines to Promote Conceptual Development
- Exploring Number Talks and Other Sensemaking Routines
- Incorporating Formative Assessment Strategies
- Elevating Mathematical Discourse in the Classroom
- Integrating Accommodations and Modifications to Reach All Learners
- ...and many more!
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Mathematics Content Coaching
It’s nice to hear the “in theory” advice, but we all know that classrooms are complex spaces where one small shift can have a large effect on whether students leave class with confidence and understanding. To help, we come into your classroom to offer high-quality content coaching with the goal of improving the teaching and learning of mathematics.
In this model, we start by pre-conferencing through planning a lesson with a teacher or group of teachers, followed by co-teaching that very lesson. We then do a post-conference to debrief and cultivate ideas for how we can collectively improve our work.
We also offer e-coaching if your school prefers a remote content coaching model.
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Family and Community Workshops
We help families understand how and why the way we teach math today is different from the way most adults learned. In addition to providing our own workshops, we also help schools and districts develop their own family math nights and information sessions.
If you're looking for more information on engaging families, our center director has co-written Adding Parents to the Equation and an accompanying free book guide to provide families support. She also offers a free 3-minute video (closed captioned in English, Spanish, Portuguese, and Chinese) that you can share with parents to explain why today’s mathematics looks different than it did in the past. You can also offer your families a learning community through her free Facebook Group for caregivers.
She is able to work with your district to run book studies, workshops, webinars, or other engagements to ensure your families can communicate mathematically with their children.
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Assessment of Curricular Alignment or Systemic Structures
We help with research and resources for selection, implementation, and alignment of curriculum. Whether you’re struggling to implement your current curriculum or looking to pick a new one, we can provide assistance.
Dr. Hilary Kreisberg has a brand-new book
CMA Director on WBZ-TV
The Role of Parents in Math Education
WBUR Interviews CMA Director
Pizza and Math
Math Center in STEM Video Showcase
Faculty
Kit Golan
Math Consultant
Kit Golan is the Secondary Mathematics Consultant for the Center for Mathematics Achievement at Lesley University in Cambridge, MA. Kit began their decade-long classroom career as a Math for America (MfA) Teaching Fellow, teaching all levels of middle school math in New York City public schools. Kit became a MfA Master Teacher, collaborating with and mentoring hundreds of MfA Master Teachers and Early Career Fellows and collaboratively designing, revising, and facilitating professional learning courses.
In 2019, Kit was a Fund for Teachers Fellowship Grant Recipient, studying Realistic Math Education at the Freudenthal Institute in Utrecht, Netherlands. They presented a TED-style talk, “Become the Subject,” at MfA’s MT2 2017: Master Teachers on Teaching event. Their 6th-grade classroom served as a model for the Instructional Routines Video Project with New Visions for Public Schools. Kit has also been a co-advisor for his schools' Gender and Sexuality Alliances, published an article, “We’ve All Got Homework to Do” in Kaleidoscope: Educator Voices & Perspectives, a magazine for the Knowles Teacher Initiative, and wrote a chapter, “Bathrooms for All,” for the upcoming book Social Action Stories: Impact Tales for the School and Community.
Shelby Strong
Math Consultant
Shelby Strong (she/her) is the elementary and secondary mathematics consultant for the Center for Mathematics Achievement at Lesley University in Cambridge, MA. Shelby began her education career as a secondary teacher in Louisiana. She became a Louisiana Teacher Leader in 2014, and soon began leading professional development and presenting at local, regional, and national education conferences. She later spent time writing and reviewing mathematics curricula.
In 2016, Shelby wrote a four part series for NCTM’s blog entitled Communicating in the Classroom. She wrote, “When Teachers Overcome Math Anxiety, Students Benefit,” for Edutopia in 2021. She has been a guest on Lesson: Impossible, Math 4 All, DebateMath, and Unprofessional Development. Shelby is a Certified Illustrative Mathematics K-5 facilitator and has experience supporting elementary and secondary educators.
Shelby holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Mathematics from the University of New Orleans and a Master’s Degree from the Math Leadership program at Mount Holyoke College. She holds her Teaching Certificate in Math Education (7-12) from Louisiana.
Samantha Sklar
Math Consultant
Samantha Sklar is the Elementary Mathematics Consultant for the Center for Mathematics Achievement at Lesley University in Cambridge, MA. Sam began her education career as an elementary classroom teacher in Arlington, Virginia. During her classroom teaching career, she taught in both New London, CT and Arlington, VA as a third and fourth grade teacher.
Over the course of four years, Sam helped to develop and refine science and math curriculum for Arlington, VA county. In 2021, Sam presented on incorporating voice and choice in the mathematics classroom during the Virginia Council for Teachers of Mathematics Conference (VCTM). In 2022, Sam became an elementary math coach in Arlington, VA and continued to support her school and district by facilitating professional development and supporting math instruction in her school building.
Sam holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Elementary Education and Math from Boston College and a Master’s Degree in Math Education Leadership from George Mason University. Sam holds a Postgraduate Professional License in Elementary Education (PreK-6) and Math Specialist for Elementary Education in Virginia.
Twitter: @MissSklar
Sarah Hugenberger
Program Coordinator
Sarah Hugenberger is the Program Coordinator for the Center for Mathematics Achievement and the STEAM Learning Lab at Lesley University in Cambridge, MA. She handles administrative tasks and daily operations for those programs.
Sarah spent the early part of her career in product management and training roles at technology companies. Later, while taking time away from work when her children were young, she completed a master’s program in Geo-Information Science. Sarah wrote her master’s thesis on Improving Compactness Measures for Political Districts.
Sarah holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Geological Sciences from Brown University and a Master of Science Degree in Geo-Information Science from Salem State University.
- Dr. Hilary Kreisberg (she/her)
Director
617.349.8344
hilary.kreisberg@lesley.edu
Twitter: Dr_Kreisberg
Sarah Hugenberger (she/her)
Program Coordinator
sarah.hugenberger@lesley.edu
- Samantha Sklar (she/her)
Mathematics Consultant
samantha.sklar@lesley.edu
Kit Golan (he/they),
Mathematics Consultant
kgolan@lesley.edu
Twitter: MrKitMath
Shelby Strong (she/her),
Mathematics Consultant
sstrong6@lesley.edu
Twitter: ShelbyStrongCMA