Building Thinking Classrooms 2025 Annual Conference

I encountered BTC during a foray into college mathematics teaching in 2023. The ’24 BTC Summer Conference in Phoenix sealed the deal for me. I am back to teaching physics exclusively this year, and I have attempted to implement all 14 principles during the fall semester. As I am now posting grades before planning my spring courses, I am hyper-focused on #14. How We Grade. This presentation will be in three movements: 1) BTC at a large community college, 2) BTC in physics (with a little math tossed in), and 3) Meaningful Assessment vs. Assessing the Meaningful (spicy!). Hear how this year-long physics experiment turned out.

Trying to incorporate Building Thinking Classroom strategies into your classroom using lessons from a textbook? Be sure to join us as we experience a lesson from an Algebra 1 book. You will work with colleagues at a VNPS through curricular tasks and experience consolidation for the lesson. Finally we will look at the original presentation of the lesson in the book and debrief the strategies.

Ever wondered how mathematics would work if we had three fingers on each hand? Step into your students' shoes as we explore mathematics through a Martian lens! Experience a complete Thinking Classroom lesson where familiar mathematical concepts become delightfully unfamiliar. Through this unique perspective, participants will engage with core BTC practices - from vertical non-permanent surfaces to visibly random groupings - while discovering how mathematical meaning-making feels for our students. Leave with practical insights about creating accessible, engaging mathematics learning experiences for diverse learners, including emergent multi-linguals and neuro-divergent students. Join us for an out-of-this-world mathematical adventure!

This session will show how to adapt current Social Studies lessons into BTC
lessons without a ton of prep or resources. Strip away note taking and slide
decks. Let go of the idea that students are listening when you're talking and
trust the power of a non-permanent vertical surface, also known as a white
board. We will look at two to three lessons that I have modified into BTC
lessons using current curriculum. I will also share about my classroom set
up and behavior modification strategies that have made this year a success,
with a few humorous failures. Come check it out.

We are two experienced and successful teachers who are constantly striving to improve. Nothing has improved our practice like BTC. BTC allows us to engage more students, better assess their understanding, and push them to higher-order thinking. Within days, we could see (and hear) how much of a difference BTC was making with our students. Within weeks, we saw the potential for BTC to be an equity driver while upholding high expectations for curricular mastery. Within months, we saw gains on our standards and room for further professional growth. This presentation shares some of our successes and failures, as well as our strengths and areas for improvement. Attendees will leave with strategies and ideas to try in their own practices.