Research-Backed Insights to Inform Practice
Our work has supported the creation of more equitable math learning experiences and provided opportunities to unlock teachers’ thinking about how to support student learning from an asset-based perspective. Investigate some of the impactful strategies and open questions that influenced teachers’ practice below, and explore additional recommendations for specific areas to influence your own work.
82% of teachers in an independent study were aware that EF skills were involved in mathematics learning, yet only some of these teachers had the tools and knowledge needed to support students’ engagement of EFs in their math instruction.
Insights from research and co-design sessions with educators emphasized the importance of scaffolding to help students use their EF skills in learning, including specific instances of content topics and skills targeted by their products.
EF+Math R&D project teams explicitly taught students about their EF skills and how they are used in different mathematics content or practices; teachers who participated on these teams saw powerful shifts in student engagement and agency in their classrooms.
Professional Development Resources for Teachers and Coaches
Insights from the EF+Math program underscore the importance of integrating EFs and equitable teaching practices into mathematics instruction. A series of professional learning resources, developed in partnership with the University of Maryland, provides opportunities for educators to expand their thinking and access classroom-ready routines and activities to use with students. These evidence-based resources are flexible and appropriate for teachers and coaches at any experience level.
Explore Math Learning Products Created by EF+Math’s R&D Project Teams
EF+Math R&D project teams co-designed and tested innovative, equity-centered math learning products that engage students’ executive function skills, affirm their identities, and improve math learning outcomes.