It’s conference time again. No not parent conferences, Mathematics conferences!

The NCTM Conference program book is now online and choosing which workshops and sessions to attend continues to be a challenge.  If you’d like to check out some sessions on Singapore Mathematics, there’s good news and bad.

Good news? There are 10 sessions involving Singapore-style math this year and while there’s plenty of bar modeling, there are two that focus on implementations. (The number of overall choices is down again from the number offered last year)

Bad news? Anything listed below in pink is an overlapping session.  Below are my thoughts on which session to choose, if you have a conflict.

FYI – Three of the ten sessions are Exhibitor’s Workshops:

Exhibitor Workshops (60 minutes) are designed to allow exhibitors more time to showcase their products and services away from the Exhibit Hall.

Thursday, April 18: 9:30 AM-10:30 AM – No conflict

#61 – Getting Number Bonds to Stick Like Glue
Lead Speaker: Catherine Kuhns

Inspired by the highly successful strategies from Singapore, this session will focus on high-interest and engaging concrete, pictorial, and abstract tasks that lead to genuine understanding and recall of the critical number combinations up to ten. These activities are appropriate for whole groups, small groups, and centers—and they are kid approved. Suitable for educators teaching Grades prek-2.

Thursday, April 18: 12:30 PM-1:30 PM – No conflict

#173 – Reasoning in the Elementary Classroom: It’s Easier Than You Think
Lead Speaker: Berinderjeet Kaur
Co-Speaker: Denisse R. Thompson

Mathematical reasoning is not only one of the NCTM Process Standards but also an important practice in the Common Core. We will share several simple strategies from both the Singapore and U.S. perspectives on modifying tasks and questions to bring reasoning to the instructional forefront. Suitable for educators teaching Grades 3-5

Thursday, April 18 4:00 PM – 5:00 PM – No conflict

#301.3 – Math Buddies: The Digital Singapore Math Solution in Action
Exhibitor Workshop: Marshall Cavendish Education

The latest K–5 digital curriculum from Marshall Cavendish Education, Math Buddies aligns with the Common Core State Standards and integrates multimedia with instructional pedagogy from Singapore Math texts.

Friday, April 19 8:00 AM- 9:00AM – Some conflict

#306 – Adopting Singapore Math: A Case Study
Lead Speaker: Kathleen Jalalpour
Co-Speaker: Corrinne Lieu

Six years ago, Keys School in Palo Alto, California (K–8), adopted Singapore Math. We will present data, experiences, and film clips of math classes. We will summarize the overwhelming benefits of Singapore Math, the obstacles we had to overcome, and the best methods of implementing this acclaimed math curriculum. Suitable for educators teaching Grades preK-5.

Friday, April 19 8:00 AM- 9:15AM – Some conflict

#337 – Exploring Reasoning and Communication with Problems from Singapore Classrooms
Lead Speaker: Ban Har Yeap

Experience mathematical reasoning and communication by solving problems taken from Singapore classrooms. Learn three strategies to enhance reasoning and communication: the use of questions, concrete materials, and visuals. We will use geometry and measurement problems across grade levels. Designed for teachers working with grades 3 – 8.

The first session will provide an overview of an implementation at the Keys School in Palo Alto. Dr. Yeap will be using questions, concrete materials and visuals to explore problems across content and grade level.

Recommendations:
-> Interested in one school’s experience? Head to the adoption session.
-> The second session has Ban Har Yeap. Enough said.

Friday, April 19 9:30am – 10:30am – Some conflict

#372 – Singapore’s Visual Models to Reason and Make Sense of Problems
Lead Speaker: Andy Clark

We will focus on the visual models and visualization used in the highly successful Singapore curriculum. These aspects offer students entry points to complex problems and develop deep understanding of topics such as operations with fractions, ratio, and algebraic manipulation. We will also discuss examples of their rich problems. Suitable for educators teaching Grades 6-8.

Friday, April 19 9:45 AM – 11:45 AM  – Some conflict

#396 – Bar Modeling, Percent Decrease, and the Common Cold
Lead Speaker: Kathleen Hill
Co-Speaker: Jennifer Luebeck

Lesson using the investigative approach with an interactive computer simulation and the mathematical tool of a bar model to help students make sense of the variables that affect the spread of disease. Suitable for educators teaching Grades 6-8.

Friday, April 19 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM – Some conflict

#425 – Linking Bar Diagrams and the Standards for Mathematical Practice
Lead Speaker: Robin Silbey

This highly interactive presentation teaches bar diagramming, a powerful, visual–logical problem-solving strategy focused on reasoning. You’ll draw bar diagrams to represent and solve several word problems. Through the lens of the Standards for Mathematical Practice, you’ll see how bar diagramming develops mathematical proficiencies. Hands-on session designed for teachers working with grades 3 – 8.

Recommendations:
-> Looking for a specific lesson with a little bit of bar modeling? Head to the second session
-> Andy and Robin are always insightful. I’d aim to hit both the first and third sessions!

Friday, April 19 2:30pm – 3:30PM – No conflict

#542.3 – Lessons from Singapore: Developing Number Sense/Problem Solving with Visual Models
Exhibitor Workshop: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

See an American version of Singapore’s highly successful curriculum and its use in the U.S. The session will focus on how Singapore’s visual models and effective pedagogy enable all students to develop number sense and solve complex problems so they are ready for the Common Core State Standards–based assessments.

Satuday, April 20 10:00 AM – 11:00AM – No conflict

#681.3 – Implementing Singapore Math: A Collaborative Effort
Exhibitor Workshop: SingaporeMath.com

Explore how the Primary Mathematics series was used as a tool to build a higher-performing mathematics program in a low-performing school. The presenter will share data, pictures, teacher reflections, successes, and challenges of implementing this focused and coherent curriculum.