Overview

UChicago STEM Education is excited to offer in-person professional learning sessions throughout the summer.

Participants will receive CEUs for attending the session.

Session 1

Algebra Before Addition! Embracing the Progression of Algebraic Thinking

Date: June 24, 2026
Time: 9:00am-12:00pm
Cost: $200.00

Imagine a classroom where every child is confidently exploring numbers, comparing sizes, and naturally making sense of “more,” all before learning the formal rules of math! Join us for an interactive professional development session designed to spark curiosity and inspire flexible thinking in young learners.

Discover how algebraic reasoning starts early and how you can nurture it at every grade level. Together, we’ll:

• Journey through the K-8 progression of standards, uncovering key milestones in students’ mathematical development.
• Dive into hands-on strategies to seamlessly integrate algebraic thinking into everyday routines and lessons.
• Learn how to empower students to experiment, explain their reasoning, and build essential skills for future math success.

This session is recommended for Grades K-6 and Coaches.

Session 2

Piece by Piece: Unlocking Fraction Understanding to Promote Productive Struggle

Date: July 1, 2026
Time: 9:00am-3:00pm
Cost: $300.00

This 1-day session will highlight fraction content understanding. The progression of fractions in grades K-6 will be highlighted with emphasis on grades 3-5. The 4 main areas: meaning, notation and representations, equivalence and comparison, and operations will be addressed through the use of various fraction manipulatives, tools, and rich tasks. Strategies for promoting and supporting productive struggle in the context of fractions will be integrated. This session is recommended for Grades 3-5 and coaches.

Session 3

Jump on the Struggle Bus!

Date: July 8, 2026
Time: 9:00am-12:00pm
Cost: $200.00

How do we create a classroom culture where students persevere through challenging mathematics tasks? Come join us in this interactive session in exploring strategies for fostering a culture where students actively engage with problems, discuss their reasoning, and learn from mistakes. Participants will receive practical tools to support resilience, collaboration, and deep understanding. Grounded in the text Productive Math Struggle, we will dive deep into the 6-point action plan to engage your students in meaningful productive struggle. This session is recommended for Grades K-6 and Coaches.

Session 4

Building Fact Fluency- It's more than just speed!

Date: July 15, 2026
Time: 9:00am-3:00pm
Cost: $300.00

Fact fluency includes more than just knowing facts quickly. To be fluent with math facts, students need to be flexible, accurate, efficient, and use appropriate strategies. When students are not yet fluent with their facts, it can be a roadblock for their mathematical learning. This session will engage participants in learning the research about fact fluency and strategies that can support students in building confidence and flexibility. Participants will walk away with strategies and games for all operations that they could incorporate immediately into their classrooms.This session is recommended for Grades K-4 and coaches.