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“I learned new strategies and ideas that changed the way I teach. These lessons received high reviews from students. I also saw an increase in student engagement.”

“The most impactful part of the sessions were focused around implementing newer pedagogy in a practical way, & seeing results. Additionally, Dr. Aly’s authenticity & compassion impacted my motivation & confidence.”

– Teacher at Argosy Collegiate Charter High School

Professional development with Compassionate Math helps teachers expand their pedagogical skills, foster an engaging and inclusive learning environment, and support rigorous content development.

• Dr. Aly has a Master’s Degree in pure (theoretical) mathematics, able to address rigorous content.
• Dr. Aly has a PhD in Teaching and Teacher Education, bringing you the latest and best in modern educational theory.
• Dr. Aly’s dissertation focused on computer-centered mathematics learning and can help you effectively incorporate technology into your mathematics classroom.

A note about rigor

What’s the difference between painting your nails and getting a manicure? Think of the nail color as the content. It’s the final step. A manicure starts off with cleaning the nails and hands. Nails are filed. The nail bed is buffed and cuticles are pushed back. Only after all that (and more) does paint get applied. By then, it goes on quickly and it looks beautiful. A manicure isn’t just painting nails; it’s doing the hard work to make sure the paint sticks well to the surface. Professional development with Compassionate Math is similar. Spending time to foster a supportive classroom environment primes students to learn rigorous mathematics and results in stronger outcomes.

My perspective on supporting teachers is that affect and socioemotional factors are critically important and often neglected when thinking about teaching math. However, this does not mean that rigor should ever be compromised. SUCCESS COMES FROM RIGOROUS CONTENT PROVIDED IN A NURTURING ENVIRONMENT. Too often in our math classes, we focus on rigor without nurturing the learner. We need both since mathematics is an intensive and difficult field with lots of baggage. Professional development with Compassionate Math BALANCES RIGOR with an emotionally nurturing learning environment supporting SEL in the math class. Math is hard but anyone can succeed with the right supports our math PD programs can help your teachers put those supports in place.

How anyone feels about math isn’t based on their own abilities, how smart they are, or how hard they work. It’s based on whether he or she is a victim of the Cycle of Benign Neglect. This cycle affects the way we currently teach and learn math. The Cycle of Benign Neglect says that we are where we are as a country in math learning because of radical shifts in policy from generation to generation, not poor teaching. The consequences of the Cycle of Benign Neglect are felt every day in the classroom when negative emotions get in the way of our ability to do math. Other factors, such as the students of math anxious teachers who develop math anxiety, perpetuate this cycle. SEL in the math class can be tied directly to the Cycle of Benign Neglect. Learn more about the Cycle of Benign Neglect through professional development with Compassionate Math.

“I have looked at lessons in a different perspective. I have adapted some lessons and have also changed the way I have been teaching. In general, I have become more reflective on my own teaching practices and on my expectations of my students.”

“Geillan had so much important information to share! Her presentation on compassion in the classroom was amazing. It challenged my thoughts and practices and really changed my perspective on effective teaching and student learning”

– Teachers in the Waterbury, CT School District

Recent Clients, partnerships, & Presentations

• Argosy Collegiate Charter High School (Fall River, MA)
• Berkshire MA School District
• Pima Community College (Tucson, AZ)
• MathFest 2023
• San Antonio COMMIT (COMmunity for Mathematics Inquiry in Teaching)
• University of Arizona (Tucson, AZ)
• Math for America (New York, NY)
• University of Connecticut (Storrs, CT)
• Qore Insights Community of Practice (a free online resource and networking space for teachers)
• Waterbury School District (Waterbury, CT)
• Phoenix College (Phoenix, AZ)
• Bridge to Enter Mathematics (BEAM)
• Colorado State University
• The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (member of an advisory committee on a math pathways grant)
• Abington Public Schools (Abington, MA)
• NEMATYC Conference 2023

What to expect from professional development with compassionate math

Professional development with Compassionate Math caters each workshop to the teachers’ needs. A good example of this is my personal needs workshop where I work with teachers over at least three math PD sessions. In each step, teachers have a hand in shaping this program.

• Meeting 1: I observe teachers’ classes and hold a listening session to hear first-hand what their needs and desires are to improving their craft.
• Meeting 2: This could last more than one session, contains pedagogical tools and content support to address these needs.
• Meeting 3: Debrief and I provide tips on how to maintain and expand on what teachers learned.

Topics for professional development with compassionate math

Professional development with Compassionate Math is personalized to the institution and audience using research-based methods. Each math PD session fosters SEL in the math classroom. Best practices are always emphasized. Classroom observation and protocols where classroom interactions are measured to reduce implicit biases and foster a more equitable math classroom of diverse learners can also be conducted.

• Supporting math learning in a “post”-COVID world.
  • Outlines a three-pronged framework where teachers can leverage the experiences of students and engage them in authentic mathematics.
  • Where’s the rigor: content is redesigned to allow students to close the learning gap.
  • Results: Presented at several institutions. Student engagement and outcomes increased.
    
• Helping students with word problems.
  • A strategy to help students write and proofread their algebraic equations using what I call “equality of thought”.
  • Where’s the rigor: this model helps solidify equality as a relation and not an operator. Students learn to write and proofread the equations they write.
  • Results: Presented at the 2022 NE-COMMIT annual conference to strong reception.
    
• Overcoming your own math trauma to help your students.
  • Defines the Cycle of Benign Neglect, how it affects current teachers or students, and how to overcome its effects.
  • Where’s the rigor: Recognizing your own math traumas helps bring empathy to the classroom. It also allows teachers to be willing to engage students in more rigorous learning environment, leading to stronger outcomes.
  • Results: This workshop has been presented to incoming undergraduate TRIO students (preservice teachers) with fantastic results.
    
• Fostering mathematical discourse.
  • Activities to increase mathematical discourse among students and increasing student outcomes.
  • Where’s the rigor: Research shows that increasing mathematical discourse strengthens conceptual understanding and increases outcomes.
  • Results: Developed into an ongoing workshop for Math for America. Increased engagement and outcomes shown.
    
• Equity in inquiry: Power dynamics in Student-centered mathematical classroom activities.
  • Although student-centered classroom activities are supposed to foster a more equitable learning space, that isn’t always the case. This workshop will help you understand how power dynamics can be a framework to design more equitable learning activities so all students have an opportunity to engage in rigorous mathematics.
  • Where’s the rigor: Inquiry-based activities must be designed so that all students can be fully engaged to get the most out of the lesson.
  • Results: Presented to the San Antonio Community for Mathematics Inquiry in Teaching (San Antonio COMMIT).
    
• Equity and social justice / diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in mathematics education.
  • Why equity and social justice are necessary ideas to consider in a math classroom. How to incorporate topics or projects related to equity and social justice in your math classroom.
  • Where’s the rigor: An inclusive classroom engages students which leads to decreased disciplinary problems and increased outcomes.
  • Results: Presented to Math for America teacher fellows.
    
• Small changes, big impacts in the math classroom.
  • Not all change has to be sweeping, small modifications in how problems are presented can make a huge difference in engagement and outcomes.
  • Where’s the rigor: Modifying problems to engage students and increase mathematical expectations results in increased conceptual understanding.
    
• Using Math Affirmations to increase student confidence.
  • An activity to include in classes which raises students’ confidence and grades.
  • Where’s the rigor: The Math Affirmations activity provided a way for students to work through their own challenges in classroom and be open to trying challenging problems.
  • Results: This work was published in the February 2018 edition of MathAMATYC Educator.
    
• SEL in the math classroom.
  • Explore socioemotional learning (SEL) in the math class and how to better support teachers and students.
  • Where’s the rigor: Research has shown that supporting SEL in the math class supports the whole student and increases outcomes.
  • Results: Presented the Compassionate Math framework at several conferences and workshops.
    
• Reviewing content.
  • Workshops to support teachers’ content knowledge.
  • Where’s the rigor: Having stronger content knowledge helps teachers be more confident, and more willing to increase the mathematical demand made on students.
    
• Filling the learning gap.
  • Learn “just in time” strategies to help fill the gaps left after more than a year of online and remote learning.
  • Where’s the rigor: similar to a corequisite model in the K-12 level, lessons are modified to support prerequisite topics.
    
• Implicit motivation in the mathematics classroom.
  • Why implicit motivation is more necessary than ever and how to incorporate activities and policies to increase implicit motivation.
  • Where’s the rigor: Motivation is the cornerstone to engaging students. Motivation can often be in the form of “difficult” or rigorous mathematics which challenges students.
    
• Overcoming the fear of teaching math.
  • Strategies to use in and out of the classroom to help new and/or math-phobic teachers respond to math questions they can’t answer in the moment.
  • Where’s the rigor: Teachers who have low math anxiety are willing to engage students in more authentic mathematical activities, leading to a more rigorous learning environment and stronger outcomes.
    
• Creating a compassionate math learning space.
  • Defines what a compassionate learning space is and offers classroom policies and activities to foster this space.
  • Where’s the rigor: Oftentimes the most successful mathematics classes incorporate compassion in the classroom.
    
• Reducing your implicit bias to affect student success.
  • How implicit bias affects mathematical achievement and strategies to reduce it.
  • Where’s the rigor: Implicit bias may alienate students, leading to disengagement in class and lower outcomes.
    
• Mathematics anxiety in teachers or students.
  • Understanding math anxiety, how it affects mathematical achievement and strategies to reduce it.
  • Where’s the rigor: Mathematics anxiety is tied to achievement. Reducing mathematics anxiety often results in stronger outcomes.
    
• Fostering a strong mathematical identity in students.
  • Helping students see that they are “math people”.
  • Where’s the rigor: A stronger mathematical identity increases engagement and resilience in mathematics. This often leads to stronger outcomes.

reviews and comments on professional development with compassionate math

“Throughout all sessions, I felt incredibly seen & heard, not only when sharing challenges or highlights, but also when discussing & brainstorming, especially when there is a need for background knowledge we have been afforded that opportunity.”

“I felt like the presenter was very educated and made me think different about different approaches to teaching math.”

“In 2 sessions, my coteacher and I walk away with techniques to transfer the class to the students. I went from being a talking head to a facilitator. I am hopeful that test scores will reflect up due to increase work completion.”

“I have felt motivated to return to my passions & roots from studying pedagogy. Loving returning to inquiry-based teaching, even in a content I am not well-versed in.”

“After this workshop, we as a whole I think have acknowledge the trauma and I am back to taking steps as an ‘actual’ math teacher. I am looking to be creative and engage with my students in new ways that motivate them.”

“I am really focusing on transferring power and control to my students. We have seen with the transfer of power and control a strong increase if in-class work completion. Thank you so much.”