The Essentials of Teaching Math

Bringing the Alberta Curriculum to Life through Deep Understanding

This one-day professional learning session is designed to deepen your pedagogical content knowledge within the context of the Alberta Mathematics Curriculum. We will deconstruct the lesson structure, exploring the research-informed principles that move students beyond rote memorization toward deep, relational understanding.

Participants will explore key mathematical representations and heuristics essential for elementary learners. This course empowers classroom teachers and math leads to implement a high-impact, CPA (Concrete, Pictorial, Abstract) approach that aligns with provincial standards for numeracy and problem-solving.

Agenda

Morning: Experience the Classroom Shift

8:30 – 9:00 | Registration, Coffee and Networking

• Kick off the day by connecting with fellow Albertan educators over coffee and tea.

9:00 – 10:30 | The Anatomy of a Great Lesson

• The “Student Experience”: Instead of just talking about theory, we’ll dive straight into a practical lesson. You’ll experience the Three-Part Lesson Structure exactly as your students would.
• The Power of the “Explore Task”: See how a single, well-crafted problem can spark a room full of ideas.
• From Discovery to Method: Learn the art of Structured Learning, where we’ll work together as a class to turn student-led discoveries into clear, efficient mathematical methods.

10:30 – 10:40 | Morning Refreshment Break

10:40 – 11:30 | Workshop #1: The Tools for Success

• The CPA Journey: We’ll roll up our sleeves and use Concrete manipulatives and Pictorial sketches to see how they bridge the gap to Abstract math.
• World-Class Insights: A look at how the highest-performing education systems globally use these daily habits to build confident, capable learners.
• Math Journaling: A hands-on look at how simple journaling helps students (and us!) “get our thoughts on paper” to make new ideas stick.

11:30 – 12:30 | Workshop #2: Reaching Every Learner Together

• Inclusive Classrooms: We explore how to use Low-Floor, High-Ceiling tasks to ensure every student — from those needing extra support to those ready for a challenge — can thrive in the same lesson.
• Practical Differentiation: Drawing on the work of Carol Tomlinson and Jo Boaler, we’ll practice adjusting the way we teach, not just what we teach, to meet the new Alberta curriculum requirements for every child.

Afternoon: Putting it All into Practice

12:30 – 01:15 | Buffet Lunch

01:15 – 02:15 | Workshop #3: Solving the Puzzle with Visual Tools

• Heuristics in Action: We’ll tackle a variety of practical examples — covering number topics, operations, geometry and measures — to see how theory applies to the day-to-day math you actually teach.
• The Magic of Bar Modelling: Learn to use this simple visual tool to deconstruct even the most “scary” word problems. You’ll leave with a new “superpower” for helping students visualize mathematical relationships.

02:15 – 03:00 | Consolidation and Local Success

• The Alberta Context: A friendly “round-table” Q&A on how to weave these strategies into your specific classroom and meet provincial numeracy standards.
• Next Steps: Wrap up the day with clear, manageable steps to continue your journey toward the 6-credit Teacher Qualification.

Why join us?

This isn’t a sit-and-listen seminar. It’s an active day of collaborative problem-solving, peer discussion and practical “take-homes” that you can use in your classroom the very next morning.

This introductory course is designed for teaching staff of all levels. No prior experience, course work or expertise in teaching math required.