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The Biggest Mistake We Make in Math Class is Telling Students Too Much
Every other week, our founder and CEO, John Tapper, will share what's on his mind, from his thoughts on math education to what's been inspiring him lately. This is your chance to hear directly from the person who started it all. We believe great ideas are worth sharing, and Founder's Corner is our way of bringing you closer to the heart of All Learners Network (ALN) and the passion that drives everything we do.
Cultivating a Climate of Change: When Innovation Feels Like Hope, Not a Burden
Published: November 7, 2025
What makes professional learning effective?
Educator professional development is a mixed bag in many school districts. Teachers are exposed to workshops and trainings on topics as diverse as dealing with blood-borne pathogens to content-specific work for individual disciplines. The quality of these programs can vary wildly, as can their applicability for individual teachers. I recently provided a workshop on differentiating math instruction for a group of teachers where half of the participants didn’t teach math, for example. In this short article, I’ll examine two professional development-related questions: When does professional devel …
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Why does high school math need a makeover?
There is no shortage of international studies to cast doubt on the effectiveness of American math instruction. Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) and Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) are two studies frequently referenced when discussing math disparities. These assessments warn us that the number of students who are proficient with math in the U.S. is low, especially when compared with other industrial countries like Japan, South Korea, and Finland. What’s going on?
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How to Plan for Sustainable, Lasting Math Improvement in Schools & Districts
Math pedagogy is the key to improving math performance and math understanding for all students. Pedagogy is the single most important element in instruction to improve math performance and understanding. Teachers are the critical element in improving math understanding and fostering positive math identities. To improve their practice, teachers need supportive instructional coaches and administrators equipped to guide and invest in math pedagogy professional development. Curriculum, math programs and textbooks on their own do not make significant improvements in math understanding. One or two “ …
Purposeful Change: The ALN Rapid Cycle of Inquiry
A group of math coaches and I gathered for a local PLC meeting. We had been looking at student work and discussing some of the problems of practice facing the teachers in our buildings. In any gathering of educators, it’s pretty easy to articulate difficulties. Parents don’t support good math instruction. The administration doesn’t understand our goals and methods. Teachers won’t try new approaches. And the children face ever steeper learning curves. Anyone who’s ever engaged with educators knows that there are many challenges that all of us face daily. But I wanted us to focus our efforts on …
