Building Thinking Classrooms Conference 2026

Kyle Ferreira van Leer (he/him) firmly believes that all students are capable of high level mathematics engagement. He began his educational career in the middle school sphere. Kyle spent 8 years - from Boston to Sacramento - teaching 7th and 8th grade math in Title I schools, mostly serving migrant students from Central/South America and Afghanistan. While in the classroom, he implemented the instructional practices from Building Thinking Classrooms, spiraled core curriculum, and used portfolio based assessment models. He paired these with other equitable practices, such as standards-based grading and daily opening circles. Kyle has presented on these practices at multiple conferences including NCTM, ATMNE and ATOMIC.

In his coaching role as the K-12 Math Specialist in Coventry, he enjoys encouraging teachers to embed equitable math practices into their classrooms to ensure that all students are able to access mathematics and build their math identities. This year he's been able to develop a cohort of teachers across three schools who are embracing the teaching practices of Building Thinking Classrooms.