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IM Author Bill McCallum paints a picture of what Illustrative Mathematics will look like in your classroom.

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By William McCallum, IM CEO
Here at IM we are excited by and proud of the reception IM K-12 Math™ is getting. As more and more districts adopt it, we are thinking about how to support them. What are the next steps? Our vision of a classroom community informs this work. We picture students actively engaged with and excited by the materials, confidently persevering in solving problems and sharing their thinking. We envision the teacher leading productive and meaningful discussions that help synthesize the students' learning of rigorous grade-level content. How can we make this vision a reality in more schools?

A coherent curriculum , like IM K-12 Math™, is critical to building classroom community, but more is needed to support teachers, schools, and districts with instructional shifts that promote access and equity for all students. There should be a shared vision of what the classroom will look like, and consideration of the support teachers will need. At IM, we call our vision the IM Classroom.

What is the IM Classroom?

IM's work is anchored in the belief that all students are capable of learning grade-level mathematics. Our curriculum supports a problem-based instructional model, where students are invited to the mathematics through relevant and affirming contexts. This draws on their naturally inquisitive nature, and their experience with the world around them. Problems provide multiple access points and solution paths, making them accessible to students at different points in their learning journey.

Problem-based instruction means believing all students can solve problems on their own and giving them a chance to try. This sets them on a path to developing mathematical identities as learners who can know, use, and enjoy mathematics. When students are engaged in their learning, they develop stronger perseverance and better retention of knowledge.

Four Elements of the IM Classroom

1. Teachers use an IM Certified® curriculum. practice IM's problem-based instructional model with integrity, and believe that all of their students are capable of learning grade-level mathematics.

2. Teachers participate in IM Certified Professional Learning, and have access to implementation support.

3. School leaders and administrators understand and support the systemic changes that are necessary to change the teachers' practice.

4. Families and communities engage with and support their students' learning.

Let's take a closer look at each pillar.

Pillar 1: Implementing problem-based instruction with IM Certified curriculum

IM Classroom teachers are passionate about learning and implementing our problem-based instructional model with integrity. They make sure their students understand each problem, monitor their students' work and advance their thinking with probing questions, provide information as appropriate, and, importantly, synthesize their students' learning at the end to make sure the goals of the activity have been met.

In an IM Classroom, the curriculum is obtained from one of our IM Certified Partners or by accessing the free, open educational resource (OER) on our website. IM Certification guarantees alignment with our coherent progressions of concepts and procedures. IM certified solutions include print and online tools, such as instructional videos and digital centers and manipulatives that support teachers to meet the needs of all learners.

Pillar 2: Teachers participate in IM Certified Professional Learning

When professional learning is certified by Illustrative Mathematics, it means that high- quality curriculum-aligned content is delivered by qualified facilitators who undergo rigorous training and ongoing development. IM Certified Professional Learning provides a coherent suite of offerings, both onsite and virtual, that support teachers and leaders through initial adoption and ongoing learning.

IM Certified Professional Learning Facilitators are experts in IM K-12 Math™ and the problem-based instructional model. In the IM Classroom, teachers continue to grow in both their practice and their understanding of the curriculum. Their participation in ongoing professional learning supports these efforts.

Pillar 3: School leaders and administrators understand and support necessary changes

While teachers have a direct impact on students' learning experiences, school and district leaders play an important role in making sure teachers have the appropriate tools and resources for their students to thrive. For successful implementation of IM K-12 Math™, leaders have a deep understanding of the problem-based instructional model, pedagogical practices, and planning protocols in order to create systems of support.

The IM Classroom exists in a building where school leaders and administrators support teachers and create systemic change through coaching, collaborative planning, implementation, and long-term support. IM Certified Professional Learning offers products and services for building leaders in order to support this effort.

Pillar 4: Families and communities engage with and support student learning

Families are students' first teachers. At IM, we believe that students should be empowered to recognize and explore math in the world around them, whether they are at school, at home, or in their communities. IM curricular materials include family supports that provide an overview of each unit and interactive mathematical questions that families can ask their children as the unit progresses.

IM is also developing relationships with organizations such as Family Engagement Lab, whose (Families and Schools Talk) tool includes families as instructional partners by providing curriculum-aligned learning activities to families via text message in their home language. The IM Classroom honors caregivers as critical stakeholders, which moves everyone towards a collaborative and supportive learning experience.

What happens in an IM Classroom?

When a student enters an IM Classroom, they enter a space that will encourage participation, develop confidence, inspire collaboration, and most importantly, equip them to know, use, and enjoy mathematics. The essence of the IM Classroom is the idea that learning happens when you pay attention to all of the actors-the students, the teachers, and the mathematics (yes, mathematics is alive in the IM Classroom!)-and build an instructional model that supports the complex community that they form.

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Beyond Curriculum Adoption: A Vision of the IM Classroom - IM CERTIFIED® BLOG

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By William McCallum, IM CEO Here at IM we are excited by and proud of the reception IM K-12 Math™ is getting. As more and more districts adopt it, we are thinking about how to support them. What are the next steps? Our vision of a classroom community informs this work.

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Darryl W. Clark -- Account Executive -- GA

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Darryl W. Clark -- Account Executive -- GA

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darryl.clark@imaginelearning.com

602-615-0884

To schedule a meeting with me, please click this link to suggest a couple dates and times that are convenient for your schedule.

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Assessments
Illustrative Mathematics offers opportunities for both formative and summative assessment that empower teachers to measure student understanding and progress against learning goals.

Data Reporting
Real-time reporting gives teachers access to actionable data. The data dashboard and display lets them track student progress.

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The beginning of each unit includes an Inspire Math Video which showcases the mathematics of the unit in a real-world, engaging context. These videos are also available in Spanish. (available in grades 6-9)

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Illustrative Mathematics with Imagine Learning is a dynamic, engaging instructional experience that leverages the power of high-quality curricula.

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Imagine Learning Illustrative Mathematics Success Story

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Imagine Learning Illustrative Mathematics Success Story

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Watch this short video to see how IM with Imagine Learning is positively effecting both students and teachers.

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Imagine Learning Illustrative Mathematics Success Story

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This can be used to guide you through the digital platform, Imagine Learning Classroom or you can use the digital walk through above.

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Lisa Mattews discusses hidden gems in the 6-8 Illustrative Mathematics curriculum.

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Unit 9 in IM Grades 6-8: Hidden Gems - IM CERTIFIED® BLOG

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By Lisa Matthews, IM Certified® Facilitator and PL Specialist Team for Grades 6-12 The IM curriculum is so thoughtfully designed and written that even those of us who have spent years with IM often find content that is new, or ideas within it that deepen our math teaching practice.

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The 5 practices were designed to help teachers use

students’ responses to advance the mathematical

understanding of the class as a whole.

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There are 3 major design principles to support all learners: provide access to all, presume competence, provide a strength-based approach.

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Our IM K-12 comprehensive program is classroom ready and

enhanced with exclusive features to make instruction come alive.

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Lizzie Skousen explains in detail what a lesson synthesis will entail. A well-executed lesson synthesis is essential to accomplishing the learning goals of a problem-based lesson.

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By Lizzy Skousen, 6-12 Curriculum Writer, IM Certified® Facilitator

During a problem-based lesson, the teacher does a lot of listening while monitoring student learning. When teachers are introduced to a problem-based lesson structure, they may wonder:

"Do we just hope that students will think about what we want?"

"How will students learn the things they need to know?"

"When do I actually teach?"

"Is this doable with the amount of instruction time I have?"

One answer to all of these questions is a well-executed lesson synthesis.

There is an overall structure to an IM lesson. We begin with inviting students to the mathematics of the day, then dive more deeply into concepts and procedures. After the lesson activities and before the cool-down, there is a lesson synthesis when we consolidate and apply the learning. What does it mean to consolidate the learning of the day?

We need to bring together all of the learning that has happened with individuals and groups and make it explicit for the entire class. During each activity, students generate solution methods and then reflect and discuss how they solved the problems. There may be as many different ideas as there are students. Some students or groups will generate strategies or make connections that align with the learning goals of the lesson, but not every student will. Sometimes they may choose a more familiar but less efficient strategy or struggle to make a specific connection.

"Do we just hope that students will think about what we want?"

I like to imagine that teaching is a bit like taking my students for a wilderness exploration hike. I want the hikers to explore, see new things, and get to play, but I also don't want them to get lost or wander onto a trail going the wrong direction. As the leader of the hike, I need to start by knowing the area. What are the major landmarks? Where do we start, where do we end, and what are some major pitfalls we need to avoid?

In a lesson, I need to know the same things. What is the purpose of the lesson? Where do I want students to end up? What do I want students to be able to accomplish?

The learning goals and cool-downs are really clear signposts to help answer these questions. The learning goals help the teacher know what students should understand and be able to do, and the cool-down shows how students will demonstrate it. With this information, I can go into each activity with a clear idea of where the lesson is going. During the lesson synthesis, I check in to make sure all students have heard the important takeaways of the lesson so I know they are ready to demonstrate their learning on the cool-down.

"How will students learn the things they need to know?"

When students are exploring mathematical ideas, they are not all going to do it in the same way. On the wilderness hike, some explorers will carefully follow a pre-marked path, while others will try hopping on rocks or logs, and still others may follow an interesting bug. During the lesson, some students will want to use a familiar representation instead of trying a new one, others will skip using a diagram at all, and some may get focused on a different approach. One group of students may already be showing that they can meet the learning goal, while another group is still unsure. This is why it's important to consolidate the learning of the day.

The lesson synthesis gives teachers the opportunity to bring together students' ideas and focus on the learning goals for the lesson. Targeted questions during the lesson synthesis highlight the learning that has already happened during each activity and help make this learning explicit for all of the students in the class.

"When do I actually teach?"

When I have my wilderness explorers hiking with me, I think of myself as a scout leader. We may be exploring and having fun, but there is also an intended direction to travel. With my students, they explore and play with ideas, but there is a mathematical direction in a lesson as well.

The lesson synthesis is a brief but vital component of the lesson where teachers can make sure that students have all heard and seen important vocabulary words, strategies, and connections. In this discussion with the students, the teacher asks targeted questions, and a few students will share their thinking. The teacher may revoice important ideas, highlight strategies that align with the learning goals, and explicitly state an important concept or vocabulary term. Most of the students will be listening during this part of the lesson.

"Is this doable with the amount of instruction time I have?"

Even on the most relaxed hike, there are time limits. If I know that we have to meet back at camp before sundown, I have to plan ahead to make sure that my hikers all get there on time. Since I've already looked ahead at the map, I know about where we should be throughout the day and can set a pace for the hike.

Pacing a lesson can be a challenge. It can seem like there is not enough time in a day to do the synthesis, but the lesson synthesis is critical to student learning. Each lesson synthesis should take about 5 minutes of class time before the cool-down. One way to pace the lesson effectively is to work backwards. Plan for the last 5 minutes of class to be the cool-down, and the 5 minutes before that to be the lesson synthesis. Then look at how much instructional time is left and adjust the pace for the other activities as needed.

Since the lesson synthesis brings together all of the learning that happens in each activity and makes it explicit for the whole class, it's not necessary for every student to have completed every activity perfectly before moving from one activity to the next.

Conclusion

After students complete the cool-down, take a moment to reflect. If most students showed evidence of accomplishing the learning goals, what happened during the lesson synthesis that helped consolidate the learning for all students? If most students struggled with the cool-down, how could the lesson synthesis have gone differently? Connecting the day's lesson synthesis with the cool-down can help you plan ahead for future lessons.

A well-executed lesson synthesis is essential to accomplishing the learning goals of a problem-based lesson. This is the point where teachers make explicit what students should take away from the lesson and give students the necessary preparation for the cool-down. When preparing for a lesson, make sure to plan time for the lesson synthesis and work backwards from there to pace the other learning activities.

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Exploring the Lesson Synthesis: When do I actually teach? - IM CERTIFIED® BLOG

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By Lizzy Skousen, 6-12 Curriculum Writer, IM Certified® Facilitator During a problem-based lesson, the teacher does a lot of listening while monitoring student learning. When teachers are introduced to a problem-based lesson structure, they may wonder: "Do we just hope that students will think about what we want?"

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The instructional design of the materials supports all learners through a coherent progression of the mathematics based

on the standards and research-based learning trajectories.

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Each unit includes a guide that explains the key ideas and concepts in family-friendly language.

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This is a short interactive guide through the Imagine Learning Classroom where the effective Illustrative Mathematics curriculum is housed.

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Imagine Learning (IL) Classroom is the digital application that powers our Illustrative Mathematics program. It provides teachers with everything they need to facilitate learning and engage students.

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A brochure with a high-level overview of the components that make up Imagine IM. Each component will be explored further on this padlet.

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The instructional routines embedded within the Imagine Learning Illustrative Mathematics lessons create structures

so that all students can engage in and contribute to mathematical conversations.

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Imagine Learning has many supports embedded into the platform to support teachers in addressing student gaps.

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Practice and homework are important with any mathematics curriculum. Please take a moment to read through Illustrative Math's homework and practice policies.

Note: Imagine IM houses TWO sets of practice problems for every lesson.

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IM 6-12 Math: Grading and Homework Policies and Practices - IM CERTIFIED® BLOG

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Select classroom activities include an opportunity for differentiation for students ready for more of a challenge. We think of them as the “mathematical dessert” to follow the “mathematical entrée” of a classroom activity.

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Eight Math Language Routines (MLRs) are embedded into lessons to support in both learning the English language and learning the language of mathematics.

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Many Spanish resources are available for students and parents.

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Here is an example of a digital applet that is used to explore the addition and subtraction of integers. Digital applets are often used to support student exploration as they learn new topics.

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This curriculum is a 2-year version of the IM 6-8 Math curriculum, allowing students who are ready to begin high school mathematics in Grade 8.