Building Thinking Classrooms 2025 Annual Conference

When implementing site-based/division-wide initiatives have you ever questioned how your current practice fits with new information and asked, “but what about...?” We will reflect on the “moves” we researched, observed, and tried through the lens of Building Thinking Classrooms that helped answer the “what about . . .” questions through a modeled lesson. We will collaboratively discuss prioritizing pedagogy while planning by using a task to reach and engage all learners to transform your practice.

Let’s use picture books with characters and settings from Central America, the Middle East, India, Africa and multi-ethnic America to explore literacy concepts in the Thinking Classroom! How can we incorporate photographs to help students make connections between their world and the greater world around them? Let’s explore some activities and strategies together!

This is an after school enrichment math camp that focuses on kids with special needs who may or may not be open to math.  It combines BTC techniques with Boaler's mindset using lessons from Mathematics Tasks for the Thinking Classroom and Boaler's, Aunty Math and JRMF websites.  

The Hawaii Lab Cohort is a professional development model where a small group of teachers gather over the course of a year to learn together, reflect on artifacts of practice, and provide feedback through peer observations. In order to take a deeper dive into the shifts of BTC, our learning was anchored in the four toolkits at the pace of one toolkit per quarter.  Participants will get a behind-the-scenes look at what it takes to structure this type of job-embedded learning from the perspective of both facilitators and teachers.  

How can Building Thinking Classrooms be integrated into a Middle Years IB Programme, with IB’s required rubrics and assessment criteria? A group of middle school teachers finishing up year one of a switch to a Building Thinking Classrooms model share what we’ve learned about synthesizing two systems as a model for how other teachers can adapt BTC to fit with their school’s or district’s requirements. We will look specifically at an algebra unit on solving inequalities built around the MYP's Criterion B and Criterion C. Additionally, we will share how MYP Criterion B, C, and D assessments can provide rich tasks and exciting assessments for non-IB classrooms and share tasks we've created

Gretchen Voskuhl, Lower and Middle School Math Specialist, Annie Wright Schools, gretchen_voskuhl@aw.org, Katie Miller, Middle School Math Teacher, Annie Wright Schools, katie_miller@aw.org, Linh Phan, Middle School Math Teacher, Annie Wright Schools, linh_phan@aw.org

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.