Eight Habits of Highly Effective Math Students (and the Teachers Who Teach Them)

Essential habits to build mathematical confidence and competence for all students!

It has been said that teachers make approximately 1,500 decisions a day. Given the volume of work, it is no wonder that these decisions are frequently made reflex-like and in the moment. By intentionally nurturing effective habits in students, as well as in teachers, we can make these decisions more deliberately and in so doing foster a positive relationship with mathematics that will set students on an unstoppable trajectory of math learning.

Eight Habits of Highly Effective Math Students (and the Teachers Who Teach Them) focuses on developing eight essential habits that support mathematical competence and confidence in students. This resource is designed as a personalized, practice-based professional learning experience, leading you through a wealth of professional learning and application activities to support you in growing a specific math habit in your classroom to strengthen your students’ math learning and build your own efficacy.

The book offers the chance to “choose your own adventure” through three teacher inquiry options focused on a specific math habit:

• Give it a Go! (An Informal Exploration of a Teaching Action and Its Impact on Student Learning)
• Classroom Inquiry (A Classroom-Based Teacher Inquiry Project)
• Focus on Equity (A Teacher Inquiry to Notice and Disrupt Patterns of Inequity)

This book provides an actionable framework for improving math teaching and learning by

• Emphasizing a commitment to equity, because all students are capable of learning high-level mathematics when provided with access to high-quality instruction
• Helping teachers develop mindsets and habits to consciously reflect on their instructional practice to continually strengthen teaching effectiveness and student learning outcomes
• Curating short readings and practice-based professional learning activities that can be engaged in individually or collaboratively
• Highlighting the importance of celebrating growth and the role of teachers in nurturing good habits in their students
• Offering a guide to coaching the habit through a process called Notice, Nurture, Name, and Nudge

Eight Habits of Highly Effective Math Students (and the Teachers Who Teach Them) is grounded in the unwavering belief that all students are math-capable and all teachers can effectively teach mathematics. The book can be used individually by elementary school teachers and education leaders at school and district levels or in collaborative professional learning settings. It is an excellent companion to Holly Burwell and Sue Chapman’s book Power-Up Your Math Community (Corwin, 2024).

Sue Chapman has served students and other math learners for over 40 years in the roles of teacher, mathematics coach, campus administrator, district curriculum coordinator, and teacher educator. She currently teaches mathematics methods courses to preservice teachers at the University of Houston Clear Lake and provides virtual professional learning and coaching support to teachers and leaders across the country. Sue is the co-author of the book MathVentures: 33 Teacher-Coach Investigations to Grow Students as Mathematicians (Math Solutions, 2021) and has written numerous blog posts and articles about coaching, teacher leadership, instructional improvement, and math education. Sue is passionate about building capacity and collective efficacy in educators, teams, schools, and districts. You can connect with Sue at SueChapmanLearning@gmail.com and @SueChapmanLearn.

Holly Burwell is a teacher, math specialist, learning facilitator, and instructional coach with students and educators in grades Pre-K through 12. She consults through her business Inspired Mathematics supporting math educators across the country and regularly presents professional learning sessions at conferences including NCTM, NCSM, and the Model Schools Conferences. Holly worked as a math specialist in Great Falls Public Schools to lead and grow math achievement for 10,000+ students. She blogs about math experiences in the classroom on her website at inspiredmathematicsmt.com. Holly is committed to bringing joy to teaching and learning mathematics in schools.