The session with Geillan facilitates a fresh start on how we should start building an inquiry learning classroom to promote equity.
Group program / Keynote / Workshop
Teaching with Compassion
Bring socio-emotional learning (SEL) to your math class and transform your teaching and your students' outcomes.
99%
found sessions valuable
96%
would attend again
93%
found session inspiring
15+
years of experience
Teaching impacts students' willingness and ability to engage with math.
The instructional version of the “Working through math trauma” workshop for students.
- Help faculty work through or around the emotional challenges of student learning.
- Learn to address the socio-emotional barriers to success in math.
- Support students so they can be their best mathematical selves.
Reflective exercises incorporated throughout the program to help faculty understand how math to help you tap into the emotional struggles you and your students encounter while learning or teaching mathematics as well as practical strategies will be shared for faculty and staff to implement.
Dr. Geillan Aly
is a mathematics educator and former award winning Assistant Professor who received her PhD in Teaching and Teacher Education and a Master’s in Mathematics from the University of Arizona.
Her research focuses on the emotional side of learning mathematics and includes how computer-centered learning has affected students’ abilities to control their learning environment and how meditation may reduce mathematics anxiety.
Dr. Aly has been teaching at the university level for over ten years and, without sacrificing rigor, brings a personalized math learning experience to the classroom through active learning methods and by centering students’ emotional well-being. She is very familiar with the Common Core Standards and has experience teaching mathematics to Middle and High School students.
Underlying all of Dr. Aly’s teaching and research is a dedication to diversity, equity, inclusion and social justice in mathematics education. She enjoys traveling, seeing live music, and is an avid chef. Geillan is also a wife and mother of a beautiful boy. They live near Hartford, CT.
This program is for you if you want to...
- establish a compassionate learning space that emphasizes rigor.
- learn how equity and social justice is a part of math learning and acknowledge the systemic issues behind why learning math is fraught with challenges.
- understand how learning math is both emotional and cognitive.
What you'll learn
- How to use the Compassionate Math framework to understand students' struggles.
- How the history of math curricula contributes to math trauma.
- How to support students' emotional growth in math class.
- Practical strategies to implement immediately to improve teaching.
- How equity is a critical part of mathematical success.
Location & Logistics
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Location
This talk can be either remote or in-person
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Format
Keynote (passive audience) or workshop (activities) are both possible.
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Multiple directions
Content can be modified to address teachers / instructors / faculty, tutors, or advisors.
Full Abstract
In this workshop, the affective (emotional) side of learning math, a side that is all too often forgotten, will be brought to the forefront. Dr. Geillan Ally will introduce the Compassionate Math Framework and the Cycle of Benign Neglect, both of which attempt to address a significant need in mathematics/STEM education, namely the acknowledgement that learning mathematics is both an emotional and intellectual act.
The goal for Compassionate Math is to help faculty work through or around the emotional challenges of learning and teaching math so that students can be their best mathematical selves. This includes thinking about how anxiety and identity affect our efficacy as teachers, especially through the lens of equity and social justice and how that contributes to limiting our own mathematical achievements.
Reflective exercises to help you tap into the emotional struggles you and your students encounter while learning or teaching mathematics as well as practical strategies will be shared for faculty and staff to implement.
What people are saying...
Engaging and interactive activities that were insightful and able to be understood by all through explanation and support.
I definitely got something I can take away to improve my online instruction.
Finally something that’s attainable!
I thought it was going to be another thing where we were told to be vulnerable but actually doing so would be a terrible mistake; however, instead everyone was completely supportive! I couldn’t believe it.
It was a workshop full of great techniques and knowledge on Mathematics that will relieve my imposter syndrome. I am glad I attend the event because my perspective on math has shifted, and I am more confident going into my next math class, knowing I can succeed is just the methods and mindset I apply to it.
She helps you a lot by understanding that you are not alone and struggling in math is completely normal
Just naming beliefs and spending time reflecting really opened my eyes to what could be possible.
I feel 10x better about math walking out of this room than when I first walked in!
Spoke about students' hearts as well as their minds!
She was engaging, informative, and very understanding of the teaching profession. She made the day fun and enjoyable.
This session was great. We talked about kinda taboo topics within math straying away from content focuses. Instead bringing up the emotional influences that interact with learning mathematics. The anxiety, and societal pressures that students come into the classroom with. How the sciences are finally starting to move away from the content is all viewpoint. Instead putting student motivation and wants/needs first.
This session provided candid, helpful realistic ideas and advice that are applicable and ready to use.
She did everything perfect honestly, and left me with the conclusion that everybody can be a pro at math
I found that her study tips would be helpful for more than just math class.
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