Building Thinking Classrooms 2025 Annual Conference: Full Schedule

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8:00am PDT

Demystifying the Art of Thin Slicing

Tuesday July 1, 2025 8:00am - 9:00am PDT

Demystify the art of thin slicing in math instruction with this engaging, interactive session based on the latest research from Mathematics Tasks for the Thinking Classroom. Engage in the 4-step process—identifying, grouping, sequencing, and filling—as you break down content into smaller, interconnected progressions, allowing students to move through concepts more efficiently. Learn how thin slicing shifts focus from lesson-by-lesson teaching to exploring concept progressions, fostering a deeper understanding of math connections in less time. Walk away with confidence that you can implement this process tomorrow to help students engage meaningfully, build confidence, and grasp the bigger picture of mathematics.

2025 Conference Presenters

Chelsea McClellan

Math Curriculum Specialist, Sacramento County Office of Education

Believing All Students Can for 16-years as a middle school math and science educator for El Dorado County, Chelsea now supports multiple counties in Northern California as a Math Curriculum Specialist for the Sacramento County Office of Education. Passionate about providing colleagues... Read More →

Tuesday July 1, 2025 8:00am - 9:00am PDT
West Seattle

Collective Knowledge (VNPS) Practices, General

9:15am PDT

Crafting Consolidation and Closure in a Secondary Thinking Classroom (6-12)

Tuesday July 1, 2025 9:15am - 10:15am PDT

West Seattle

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In this interactive session, participants will immerse themselves in the experience of a secondary thinking classroom by completing a rich problem-solving task using the Thinking Classroom framework. With the end in mind, participants will collaboratively work to:

1. Develop a learning goal that aligns with the task.
2. Design a sequence of student work that best supports the desired learning goal.
3. Craft targeted questions to facilitate the consolidation process, ensuring that all students' thinking is recognized, valued and connected.

By the end of the session, participants will gain valuable insights and practical tools for creating a structured, student-centered consolidation and closure process in their classrooms.

2025 Conference Presenters

Carly Epstein

Director of Facilitators, All Learners Network

As the Director of Facilitators at All Learners Network I believe in the capacity and capabilities of all students, educators and leaders as productive mathematicians. I am passionate that kids should do the work. I believe that all students should be engaging in discourse, exploring... Read More →

Elizabeth Kielty

Facilitator/Professional Consultant, All Learners Network

As a facilitator with All Learners Network, I am passionate about helping educators implement effective, evidence-based instructional strategies that foster conceptual understanding and empower students to become confident, independent learners. With over 13 years of experience in... Read More →

Tuesday July 1, 2025 9:15am - 10:15am PDT
West Seattle

Closing & Individual Knowledge Practices, Secondary

10:20am PDT

Affinity Groups Intermediate 3-5

Tuesday July 1, 2025 10:20am - 10:50am PDT

West Seattle

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Tuesday July 1, 2025 10:20am - 10:50am PDT
West Seattle

Affinity Group, General

11:00am PDT

Leveraging Your Specialist Team to Implement Building Thinking Classrooms Schoolwide

Tuesday July 1, 2025 11:00am - 12:00pm PDT

West Seattle

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Discover how Kempsville High School implemented the Building Thinking Classrooms framework to enhance rigor and drive schoolwide improvement. This session highlights the impact on our Plan for Continuous Improvement across Core, Inclusion, Honors, AP, Dual Enrollment, Elective, and Industry Certification settings. Learn about our implementation strategies, including in-service planning, monthly professional learning, and walkthroughs. Explore how we supported teachers with interactive PD, modeling, co-planning, and co-teaching. Participants will collaborate to start designing plans tailored to their school’s unique needs.

2025 Conference Presenters

Chelsea Kimbrough

School Improvement Specialist, Kempsville High

Sharelle Van Natten

Literacy Coach, Kempsville High Virginia Beach City Public Schools

X - @MsVBLitCoach, Blue Sky - @iheartSharellev.bsky.socialKempsville High School, located in Virginia Beach, Virginia, is part of the Virginia Beach City Public Schools (VBCPS) district, serving a socially and economically diverse population of approximately 2,006 students in grades... Read More →

Tuesday July 1, 2025 11:00am - 12:00pm PDT
West Seattle

Cultivating Leadership and Community, Systems Leadership

1:00pm PDT

Getting to Scale: Using Educator Residencies to Launch BTC in a Large Urban District

Tuesday July 1, 2025 1:00pm - 2:00pm PDT

West Seattle

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This session explores how Newark Public Schools scaled the implementation of Building Thinking Classrooms (BTC) practices across 60 schools using teacher and administrator residencies. Participants will learn about the challenges and successes of implementing BTC practices in a large district and gain practical insights into creating professional learning experiences that drive long-term transformation in mathematics education.

2025 Conference Presenters

Amanda Grossi

Director, Office of Mathematics, Newark Public Schools

Asale Smith

Supervisor, Office of Mathematics, Newark Public Schools

Christian Ricci,

Teacher,, East Side High School

Karyn Unger

Supervisor, Office of Mathematics, Newark Public Schools

Tuesday July 1, 2025 1:00pm - 2:00pm PDT
West Seattle

Cultivating Leadership and Community, Systems Leadership

2:15pm PDT

Equitable Instruction in Action: The Cognitive Science Behind Building Thinking Classrooms

Tuesday July 1, 2025 2:15pm - 3:15pm PDT

West Seattle

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This session explores the alignment between the Building Thinking Classrooms (BTC) framework and cognitive science research. It highlights how core BTC practices—such as the launch, flow, consolidation, and check-your-understanding questions—are grounded in cognitive science principles like cognitive load, schema acquisition, and the role of prior knowledge. By unpacking these practices, the session demonstrates how they support effective learning and cognitive development. It also examines the implications for classroom instruction, emphasizing how understanding these connections can help teachers provide equitable, high-quality learning experiences for all students.

2025 Conference Presenters

Thomas Nobili

Founder, Professional Consultant, TJN Core Consulting

Tuesday July 1, 2025 2:15pm - 3:15pm PDT
West Seattle

Connections to Equity and Access, General

8:00am PDT

9:15am PDT

10:20am PDT

11:00am PDT

1:00pm PDT

2:15pm PDT

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