Building Thinking Classrooms Conference 2026: Full Schedule

10:50am EDT

Building and Maintaining A Classroom Community To Promote Student Agency

Monday June 29, 2026 10:50am - 11:45am EDT

Cooperative Arts and Humanities High School - Room 327

We hope participants leave our session with a clear understanding of how intentional community-building practices can strengthen student agency throughout the year—not just during the first week. Participants will experience a BTC task designed to cultivate belonging and autonomy, see examples of routines and teacher moves that sustain productive collaboration, and reflect on how these strategies connect to BTC Practice #8. Ultimately, we hope educators walk away with practical structures and a renewed belief that agency develops when students feel safe, valued, and trusted to think. Our goal is for every participant to envision how these ideas can be adapted to their own context so that all students see themselves as capable mathematical thinkers.

Speakers

Clare Bunton

Math Teacher, Wyoming Public Schools

Clare Bunton's school: Wyoming High School, located in Wyoming, Michigan, serves approximately 1,284 students in grades 9-12. The student body is diverse, with 51.1% Hispanic, 25.5% White, 14.3% African American, 2.6% Asian, and 6.3% identifying as two or more races. Additionally... Read More →

Joshua Zolen

Math Teacher, Kentwood Public Schools

Monday June 29, 2026 10:50am - 11:45am EDT
Cooperative Arts and Humanities High School - Room 327 177 College St, New Haven, CT 06510, USA

Equity, Medium

Grade Level or Subject Area Algebra; 6-8; Geometry; Trigonometry; Statistics; Calculus; Instructional Coaches; Building Leaders; Central Office Leaders

8:00am EDT

How to Build a Community of Mathematical Thinkers in the Classroom

Tuesday June 30, 2026 8:00am - 8:55am EDT

Cooperative Arts and Humanities High School - Room 301

As educators, we want students to collaborate and engage deeply with mathematical thinking. For true thinking to occur, students must communicate their ideas and reasoning with one another. However, motivating students to work productively with their teams can be a challenge.In this session, participants will explore how to build student thinking by intentionally building student status, a key component in developing equitable and engaged mathematical communities. You’ll experience strategies that help raise the status of all learners, motivate collaboration, and strengthen classroom culture. Come ready to participate, reflect, and leave with actionable ideas to elevate every student’s voice in your classroom.

Speakers

Robin Kubasiak

Implementation Support Specialist, CPM Educational Program

Robin is currently an Implementation Support Specialist at CPM Educational Program. Robin has taught mathematics at both middle school and high school levels for 25 years. She has a passion for mathematics education and continues to innovate her teaching with research based routines... Read More →

Tuesday June 30, 2026 8:00am - 8:55am EDT
Cooperative Arts and Humanities High School - Room 301 177 College St, New Haven, CT 06510, USA