Cultivating Math Confidence

Kristen Smith is a Math Teacher, Instructional Coach, and Mentor Teacher and has taught secondary mathematics for the past 16 years at both the middle and high school levels. She is recipient of the Presidential Award for Excellence in Math and Science Teaching and a former Math for America Master Teaching Fellow and Desmos Fellow.

• Part 1: Instructional Moves that Build Confidence 1. Maximizing Inquiry to Build Confidence 2. A Culture of Belief 3. Norms That Support Confident Math Learners 4. Intentional Response Protocals 5. Constructing Question Arcs 6. Feedback to Fuel Growth 7. Assessment with Insight and Intention 8. The Proficiency Pivot Part 2: Planning for Proficiency 9. A Lesson Structure that Builds Student Confidence 10. Developing Mastery Through Strategic Practice 11. Remediation and Intervention for Unfinished Learning 12. Using Assessment Data to Drive Progress Part 3: Coaching for Confidence and Clarity 13. An Introductin to Coaching 14. Coaching for Clarity 15 Coaching for Confidence

"In this fascinating book, veteran educator Smith takes a somewhat intangible idea—inspiring students to have confidence in their math ability—and makes it concrete, visible and actionable. Wonderfully blending learning science with the hard-won experience of someone who works with teenagers, this book is a must-read for math teachers everywhere."—Holly Korbey, Education Journalist and Editor, The Bell Ringer, USA"Kristen Smith is a true master at the art of teaching and coaching mathematics. Cultivating Math Confidence bottles that genius into digestible practices that are accessible for all levels of teachers and coaches. It's a must read for anyone wanting to improve mathematics instruction in their schools."—Margaret Marrer, Deputy CAO, KIPP Team and Family, USA"I can't wait to put the book into action. . . . [Smith] doesn't treat math confidence as something students either have or don’t have. Instead, she gives teachers concrete ways to create classroom experiences that help students develop confidence. . . . [The book] offers a collection of lenses and practical frameworks that teachers can take into their own contexts rather than prescribing one way to teach."—Amy Leach, MiddleWeb