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ICTM Newsletter for August 2026 |
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The only way to learn mathematics is to do mathematics.
— Paul R. Halmos, Hungarian-American mathematician
Do mathematics with us at ICTM's pre-conference workshops on Monday, October 19 and conference on Tuesday, October 20! Members who register for the conference before September 14 pay only $60! |
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It All Boils Down to One Thing: Getting Students Thinking Mathematically
Keynote Session with Christina Tondevold (1:00pm-2:10pm)
Educators today are pulled in a hundred directions - new programs, new strategies, new mandates. But underneath all of it is one simple goal: getting students to think mathematically. In this keynote, Christina Tondevold shares her own reckoning with that truth, unpacks the research behind why mathematical thinking matters, and helps you see that what you're already doing is more connected, and more powerful, than you realize. You'll get clarity, not more to-do's. |
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Congratulations, Grant Awardees!
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Lydia Butters, Cedar Falls High School, was awarded an NCTM Conference Grant to attend the fall NCTM annual meeting and conference in Denver, CO.
Anita Helmich and Graettinger Teril Elementary will use their Teaching and Learning Grant award to pay for Numeracy Project kits for 5th and 6th graders. Susan Smith and Waukee Schools are planning an elementary family math night. The Teaching and Learning Grant will pay for materials for math games. The materials will go home with students so families can keep playing and learning after the math night event. |
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Upcoming Grant Application Deadlines (more grant details below) Marilyn Zweng First Year Teacher Grants: August 20 ICTM Conference Grant: August 31 Teaching and Learning Grant: September 30 |
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The Math Instructional Coach Network IS BACK for the 2026 - 2027 School Year! Kristin Grotewold & Tamara Bane will lead monthly meetings around the 8 Effective Teaching Practices. Join us the second Monday of each month from 8:30-9:30am via Zoom. Guest speakers this year include: Graham Fletcher, John SanGiovanni, Chase Orton, Dr. Raj Shah, Mike Flynn, Kevin Dykema and more! Email Kristin at kgrotewold@waukeeschools.org or Tamara at tbane@winterset.k12.ia.us if you are new to the Network this year to get access to the Zoom link or click the links above to join. See the attached flyer for specific dates and topics. Join us for the first one Monday, September 14 from 8:30-9:30am on the Beliefs Around Teaching and Learning Mathematics.
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ICTM turns 60 this year! To celebrate, early bird conference registration is $60 for members!
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Conference Featured Speaker Highlight
Fawn Nguyen |
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Let’s Sketch Diagrams to Solve Word Problems! Breakout Session (8:00am-8:50am)
In this session, you'll be asked to resist the urge to write equations to solve problems and instead create meaningful diagrams that show your understanding. You'll experience firsthand how a good diagram can reveal an elegant solution. This approach matters because many students struggle with word problems not because of weak math skills, but because the language itself creates a barrier—they never get to the mathematics. Diagrams lower that language hurdle and give students a way in. |
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Visual Patterns, Math Talks, and Problem Solving Breakout Session (9:00am-9:50am)
We will work with the routines of visual patterns and math talks to develop algebraic reasoning and flexible thinking. We will experience productive struggle through rich and challenging tasks. We will implement a curriculum to make math social, value collaboration, and encourage play and risk-taking. We’ll intentionally implement our mathematics curriculum to cover a range of “critical thinking demands” to invite all students into a relevant and challenging program that values procedural skills and conceptual understanding.
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Join us at a Pre-Conference Workshop on Monday, October 19 |
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Foundations of Numerical Reasoning K–5: Building Fluency that Scales Across the Grades with Graham Fletcher
In elementary math, the goal is not faster answers. It is stronger thinking. This one-day workshop is designed for teachers and math leads and focuses on how students develop number sense and reasoning across K–5. Rather than memorizing steps or collecting strategies, we will explore how understanding grows through patterns, relationships, and meaningful problem-solving. Using rich tasks, classroom video, and student work, we will examine key progressions from counting and part-whole thinking to multiplication, division, and early fractions. We will focus on how to notice student thinking and respond in ways that move it forward without rushing to procedures. Participants will leave with practical routines, clearer progressions, and a stronger lens for supporting student thinking across classrooms.
Developing Mathematical Reasoning with Pam Harris
Many of our students have learned that math is rote memorizing and mimicking procedures to get answers. While algorithms are amazing historic achievements, they have been terrible teaching tools because they can trap students in limited, less-sophisticated reasoning. In this workshop, author Pam Harris invites us to reimagine math instruction in grades 6-12—avoiding the trap of algorithms and teaching students to reason like mathematicians, getting better results for more students. |
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Real talk. Real classrooms. Real math.
Two math instructional coaches.
A lot of questions.
Zero pretending to have all the answers. 😉
Born from their Math Coaching Network supporting the Math Counts Act, this podcast brings quick, engaging recaps and real reflections on the work happening in classrooms across Iowa.
✨ Bite-sized.
✨ Down-to-earth.
✨ Actually helpful.
They’re learning on the fly and sharing it all so you can stay connected—without adding one more thing to your plate. New Sessions from July:
- #11 ISASP Standards Setting Part 3
- #12 Thirteen Rules that Expire
- #13 Creating a Problem Based Community
- #14 Observing a Problem Based Classroom
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Marilyn Zweng First Year Teacher Grant Each fall, the Iowa Council of Teachers of Mathematics (ICTM) will award up to 15 grants of $500 or $300 to support teachers that will be starting their first year teaching in Iowa. A grant of $500 is available to those teachers who are teaching mathematics full time. For those teachers who are teaching mathematics less than 50% of the day, a grant of $300 is available. A one-year membership to ICTM will be included with the grant. This grant program is a part of the ICTM Marilyn Zweng Memorial Fund and is designed to support first year teachers who teach mathematics as they begin their career. All new teachers that will be teaching for the first time this year in an Iowa school district and teaching mathematics as part of their assignment are eligible to apply for this grant.
Applications are due August 20.
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ICTM Conference Grant ICTM Conference Grant (up to $400) supports travel to the 2026 ICTM conference in Ankeny. Applications are due August 31.
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Nominations for ICTM Math Educator AwardsKnow a fabulous mathematics educator in Iowa? Nominate them for one of our awards! Nominations are accepted throughout the year and awards are presented at our annual conference.
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Award Descriptions & Past Awardees
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The NASA TechRise Student Challenge empowers teams of sixth to 12th-grade students to design, build, and launch experiments on flights aboard commercial suborbital vehicles. Guided by an educator, student teams affiliated with U.S. public, private, and charter schools can submit experiment ideas for flight testing. Sixty winning teams will be selected to receive $1500 to build their experiment, technical support from Future Engineers, and an assigned spot for their experiment on a NASA-sponsored flight with an industry provider.
The challenge offers participants hands-on insight into the payload design and suborbital flight test process, with the goal of developing critical skills in engineering, computing, electronics and more that will be required for America’s technical workforce. No experience is necessary to participate. The challenge is expected to open in September 2026. Teachers can pre-register now!
To learn more about this exciting opportunity and pre-register today, visit https://www.futureengineers.org/nasatechrise |
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FREE! Resources for Teaching and LearningThe Math Fact Fluency Companion Website offers free access to classroom-ready resources that support effective, research-based instruction in mathematics facts. Designed to accompany Math Fact Fluency by Jennifer Bay-Williams and Gina Kling, the site includes updated game boards and instruction sheets, now available in PDF and Google Slides formats.
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Educators can also explore interactive demonstrations of the games, making it easier to understand how the activities work and how they support learning and retention. These resources are intended to help teachers provide engaging practice while building student confidence and understanding.
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New Resource for Teachers Check out the newest resources on our website: Core-Plus Mathematics: Complete free 4-year high school math curriculum. The latest edition of Core-Plus Mathematics consists of student and teacher materials for a three-year core program designed for all students plus two fourth-year course options: Preparation for Calculus and Transition to College Mathematics and Statistics.
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Join the Iowa Council of Teachers of Mathematics (ICTM)
Become part of a dynamic community dedicated to supporting educators, sharing resources, and improving math teaching and learning across Iowa!
- Exclusive PD opportunities
- Networking with fellow educators
- Access to valuable teaching resources
- Advocacy for strong math education
Join today and be part of shaping the future of math education in Iowa! |
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Free Courses for Academically Talented Iowa Students
The Belin Blank Center’s Iowa Online AP® Academy (IOAPA) provides qualifying Iowa students free access to advanced coursework. For high school students, these courses are a part of the College Board’s Advanced Placement® (AP) program. High school-level courses are also made available to eligible middle school students. AP exam scholarships are available, with preference given to low-income students and students from rural schools.
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We Want to Hear from You!
Do you have ideas for future emails, professional development activities, or website and social media posts? We'd love to hear from you; contact us at one of our email addresses. |
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This message was sent to you by the Iowa Council of Teachers of Mathematics
IowaMath.org
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