FRESH THINKING CONFERENCE

DoubleTree
Overland Park
K-2 & 3-6
Tracks
Click to
      apply

 

The 1st Annual FRESH THINKING CONFERENCE will be held July 14-15, 2025 – in Overland Park, Kansas – the largest suburb of Kansas City, Missouri. We offer two, specially designed learning tracks for K-2 and 3-6 educators.

Do you have students who struggle with math facts or lack number sense? Do you have advanced learners who need to be challenged? And do you have students who are on grade level and capable of so much more? If you are ready to take your students and teaching to the next level, join us for our 2025 Fresh Thinking Conference!


The theme for our inaugural conference is the three F’s – Focus, Fundamentals, and Fun. Can less ever be more? Can focusing on a few, key strategies and concepts in each grade level be the secret to empowering students of all abilities?


We will make sense of the most important concepts and strategies at each grade level, share daily routines and activities that fill gaps in understanding, and explore problems that encourage mastery and develop the advanced thinking skills needed for higher math. Math will never be the same.



Greg Tang

Greg Tang Jr

Tammy Tang
WHAT MAKES OUR CONFERENCE SO DIFFERENT?

First, unlike conferences that offer a hodgepodge of sessions and topics, we offer a systematic, strategic, and most importantly, a streamlined and sensible approach to teaching and learning math. Schools using our teaching methods, core curriculum, and intervention program have seen incredible growth in student understanding and test scores.


Second, we believe effective PD requires effective follow-up. To support your teaching after the conference, we will provide access to digital and printed resources that can help you review, master, and implement our models and methods in your classroom or school. We do not believe in “one and done” workshops or conferences.


Third, our Fresh Thinking Foundation was started to encourage, mentor, and respect educators. We have applied for 501(c)(3) status from the I.R.S. so we can provide financial support for educators when schools and districts have limited funds for professional development, including our conference.


Every summer, we will welcome a new cohort of educators who are interested in our approach to teaching math and want to learn more. We will provide 2 days of intense learning and collaboration, followed by ongoing support during the following and subsequent school years.


The goal of our Fresh Thinking Conference is to create a collegial atmosphere for learning that encourages questions, dialogue, “aha” moments, friendships, meaningful interactions, and long-term, systemic change. We want this to be the two best days of learning you have ever experienced!


Forth, unlike large conferences with huge marketing budgets, we put all our time, energy, and resources into our sessions and participants. We provide 12 hours of in-person math instruction, 4 additional hours of instruction in the arts, and many more hours of free, follow-up PD, office hours, and help with lesson planning. We are excited, ready, and committed to work with you!



WHY IS IT CALLED "FRESH THINKING"?

In a world that is increasingly divisive and difficult for educators, parents, and especially children, we offer fresh, new ways of thinking, teaching, learning, and being.


In addition to helping you become a better math teacher, we hope our conference will be an inspirational – and aspirational – experience, one that re-energizes you, rekindles your passion for teaching, and rejuvenates your spirit.


It all begins with awareness. Can we open eyes and minds to new ways of teaching and learning in a technology-driven world? Can we cut through the noise of social media and the vested interests of individuals and organizations that have a stake in the status quo?


And can we help you put past, and sometimes painful, experiences in math aside to make room for fresh thinking, better ideas, more effective methods, and a brighter future for you, your students, and your community?


Join us. Math – and you – will never be the same!



 

Presenters

Greg Tanghas done over 4,000 workshops, conferences and school visits in the past 19 years. He is the NY Times best-selling author of The Grapes of Math, gold medal-winning eBook Math Appeal, and 6 other books from Scholastic. His websiteGregTangMath.comhas over 78 million page views to date and is a cornerstone of school math programs across the country.
Greg Tang Jr.is the creator of Tangy Tuesdays and inventor of the popular math games Ten Frame Mania™ and NumTanga™. He is a master game developer, programmer, math night expert and favorite among kids, teachers and math specialists across the U.S. Greg’s recent creations include Equato™, Web Bonds™, Tic-Tac-Tang™ and Tic-Tac-Tenframe™.
Tammy Tangis the author of 10+ best-selling technology books and a nationally known presenter and technology consultant. She is a keynote and featured speaker at many of the biggest technology conferences including ISTE, TCEA, NCCE and NCTies. Tammy works with K-12 teachers and students around the country, and she specializes in finding more creative and effective ways to apply technology in the classroom.

Schedule

(Click here for printable schedule)

Sessions

JULY 14

JULY 15


 
Lessons Learned – AM Keynote, All Grades
Greg Tang

After doing 3,000 workshops, conferences, and author visits in the last 18 years, what have I noticed? What have I wondered? In our opening keynote, I will share strategies, concepts, and teaching methods that have proven effective with kids of all backgrounds and all abilities.

Is teaching math really all that difficult? Yes, it is! There is nothing simple about it. But is it possible that in many instances we are making it even more difficult instead of making it more accessible?

A key insight in our opening session will be the value of streamlining our teaching methods. Can a school and then an entire district see rapid growth in their students’ understanding, skills and test scores when they make difficult decisions about which strategies, models, and manipulatives to use? Is more always better or is it always just more? Can less ever be more?

Everywhere we turn there are more options and more information. How do we make sense of it all and what are some principles that can help guide us? Join Greg for a keynote and conference that are unlike all the others. Math – and you – will never be the same!

The C-P-A Progressions – PM Keynote, All Grades
Chris Shore

In order to learn and enjoy mathematics, students need to experience topics in a progression that begins with

conceptualunderstanding, continues toproceduralfluency, then moves to theapplicationof skills. This C-P-A progression is critical and yet rarely seen in American classrooms.

When someone says they have never been good at math, it is likely their math education started and ended with

Procedures and did not include the bookends ofConcepts andApplications.

Join us for a journey through an actual unit of study that embraces the C-P-A progression and witness the phenomenal results that occurred.

Visual Models – Grades K-2
Dr. Yeap Ban Har

In Bruner’s theory of representations, also known as CPA approach, visual models serve as a tool between the concrete and the abstract. In this session, we will discuss this function of visual models and explore other benefits of visual models.

Number Sense and Reasoning Routines – Grades K-2
John SanGiovanni

Do your K-2 students struggle with reasoning about numbers and quantity, addition and subtraction, decomposition or even counting principles? Are you looking for practical, high-quality tasks to engage students and ignite discussion? In this session, participants learn about dynamic, doable activities that engage students in meaningful ways. A collection of ready-for-use resources will be provided and explored so that pursuit of number sense becomes a daily routine. These resources naturally complement each and every lesson in any middle school mathematics class. Classroom clips of colleagues leveraging these strategies will also be shared.

Fluency & Facts – Grades K-2
Susan Resnick

What is the definition of fact fluency? In this session, we will focus three phases of fluency: building facts, using known facts, and building automaticity. We will explore activities that simultaneously build number sense, flexibility, and automaticity without removing higher order thinking. We will discuss strategies used to compose and decompose numbers in order to strengthen understanding of addition and subtraction facts.

Fluency & Facts – Grades 3-5
Susan Resnick

What is the definition of fact fluency? In this session, we will focus three phases of fluency: building facts, using known facts, and building automaticity. We will explore activities that simultaneously build number sense, flexibility, and automaticity without removing higher order thinking. We will discuss strategies used to develop understanding of different forms of multiplication and division to help students generalize and apply facts needed for problem solving.

Number Sense and Reasoning Routines – Grades 3-5
John SanGiovanni

Do your 3-5 students struggle with number relationships and decomposition, addition and subtraction, multiplication and division and even fractions? Are you looking for practical, high-quality tasks to engage students and ignite discussion? In this session, participants learn about dynamic, doable activities that engage students in meaningful ways. A collection of ready-for-use resources will be provided and explored so that pursuit of number sense becomes a daily routine. These resources naturally complement each and every lesson in any middle school mathematics class. Classroom clips of colleagues leveraging these strategies will also be shared.

Variables – Grades 3-5
Chris Shore

Algebraic Thinking in Elementary School!

Your elementary school students do not need to graph parabolas, but they are expected to start experiencing variables and equations. It will be made clear to you exactly what is considered ‘algebraic thinking,’ what your algebraic skills your students are expected to take with them to middle school, and some powerful lessons to instill algebra in their young minds.

Filling Gaps – Grades 3-5
David Costello

Teaching for Mastery: An Approach to Mathematics Instruction and Learning that Promotes Long-Term Understanding.

Have you heard students say “I don’t remember doing this,” “I forget,” or “can you tell us how to do this again”? Students do not tend to master something new after one or two lessons. In fact, much of what is taught today is lost in days because it is placed in short-term memory, not based on understanding and not reviewed over time. Within this session, David will explore an approach to instruction and learning that promotes long-term understanding by dedicating only a small-portion of the math class to review.

The goal of this presentation is to communicate the importance of teaching for mastery as a way to strengthen student mathematical comprehension. Within this presentation, I will share opportunities for how teachers can apply practical strategies to their daily instructional routine to strengthen students' long-term understanding of a concept and/or strategy. It is not enough to teach for short-term memory. Attendees will understand that by incorporating the three-four practices that I will share into their daily classroom routines, opportunities for students to move concepts and/or strategies into long-term understanding will be strengthened. Teachers will be provided strategies that can be applied to instructional and assessment practices as well as concrete evidence of the use of these strategies in the classroom. This session will provide the 'what', 'why' and 'how' of the strategies I will share.

Within this session, student work samples will be shared that focus on the following domains: Measurement and Data; Operations & Algebraic Thinking; Number and Operations in Base Ten; and, Number and Operations – Fractions.

Graphing – Grades 6-8
Chris Shore

Pig Pens & Helicopters to Write Equations and Draw Graphs

Conceptual understanding needs to precede procedural fluency. This is particularly true when asking students to write equations form context. State test scores are showing that this is one of the most difficult standards to teach. By leading with the verbal story of the Pig Pen, using manipulatives, and posing purposeful questions, this model lesson in which you will participate will make it easy for you teach students this understanding and ability. The interactive Tubicopter lesson gets students to think deeply about rate of change in graphs. There is so much more to graphing linear equations than ‘rise over run.’ Let’s have fun learning and teaching two of the most important standards in the middle school curriculum.

Functions – Grades 6-8
Dr. Yeap Ban Har

In this session we look at the progression of the learning of functions in the middle school years. Concurrently, we will also look at how anchor task approach might look like in middle school.

Morning Electives

Place Value – Grades K-5
Greg Tang

Do students understand place value and how our number system works or have they memorized a few rules and procedures for identifying values, rounding numbers, and using algorithms?

Are there simple place value concepts teachers can teach in the early grades to make more difficult concepts easier to learn as students grow older? Are there common deficits and misconceptions kids bring with them that upper grade teachers need to be aware of?

Place value may be the single most important concept students do not understand. Join us as we explore a more effective approach to teaching this pivotal topic. We will generalize and apply key concepts to troublesome topics including regrouping, elapsed time, measurement, rounding and decimals.

Word Problems – Grades K-5
Greg Tang Jr.

Afternoon Electives

Enrichment – Grades K-2
Dr. Yeap Ban Har

Ways to challenge students who grasp mathematical ideas quickly include acceleration and enrichment. In this session, we will experience several examples of enrichment lessons where students are challenged without requiring them to accelerate to new content.

Five Actions for Productive Struggle – Grades K-5
John SanGiovanni

The struggle is real. But productive struggle is more than a catchphrase. It is the result of five actions that teachers take so that students struggle, persevere, and succeed. In this session, participants learn about how struggle in mathematics is grounded in identity, environment, planning, support, and reflection. Participants will acquire strategies to support them before, during, and after the lesson or the struggle. Classroom tools and lesson seeds will be shared for use as soon as the first day of school.

Coding Mania – Grades 2-6
Greg Tang Jr.

Create, Customize, Command!

CODING is the new buzzword, the new hot thing. But what exactly is it and what might it look like in your classroom? Are your students interested in coding? Have they been exposed to it? Is your school looking for a great STEM program that will introduce kids to the world of computer science and inspire them to be innovative and independent thinkers and creators?

Join Greg Tang Jr. for a fascinating, fun, frontal lobe-expanding session and learn firsthand how to createyour own coding environment,customizeyour elements, andcommandyour creation. Greg will introduce you to the basics of computer programming, share insights on bringing coding to your classroom, and model an activity that will bring coding to life for your students. This is one elective you won’t want to miss!

Spreadsheet Superpowers – Grades 2-6
Tammy Tang

What might be the most important yet overlooked and underutilized technology in elementary and middle school math? Spreadsheets! While the world looks high and low for great STEM projects and overspends on the latest technologies, Google Sheets sits free and available to every teacher and student with a laptop, tablet or computer.

Join popular technology expert Tammy Worcester Tang as she shares tips and tricks for using Google Sheets. You will learn firsthand how to use spreadsheets to help students look for and make sense of patterns, develop proportional reasoning skills, generalize and think algebraically, and learn coding skills in a natural and common sense way.

Whether you are a technology novice or expert, you’ll be surprised and energized by the many ways spreadsheets can be utilized to solve and create word problems, teach students basic coding skills, and build awesome interactive activities for all to enjoy. This is one session you won’t want to miss!

Generalization – Grades 3-8
Susan Resnick

Do your students look successful when they do individual tasks but then fail to generalize to other examples? Too often students approach each lesson in math as discrete rather than as part of a progression leading to a mathematical generalization. In this session, we will examine how to use both perceptual and structural variation of tasks to help students look for similarities, patterns, and contexts that build generalization and lead to mastery.

Ratio & Proportion – Grades 5-8
Greg Tang

What’s the best way for students to develop proportional reasoning skills? By thinking proportionally. A lot! Join us as we model and solve challenging problems that are part of a strategic progression of comparative reasoning problems. We will start with additive and multiplicative comparison problems, then solve problems with fractions, ratios and unit rates. Finally, we will use clever, proportional reasoning strategies to solve challenging problems with 2 and 3 variables. Is there a great way to prepare students for slope and rate of change problems? This is one session you won’t want to miss!


JULY 14

JULY 15

Memory & Math – AM Keynote, All Grades
Dr. Margaret Keane

Can studying amnesic patients who have suffered brain injuries yield important insights into the teaching and learning of mathematics? We will explore what the research says about the many forms of memory, how memories are created, and how memory may be linked to imagination and creativity. The facts and myths about memory may surprise you, but they will surely spur you to think more deeply about your own teaching and your student’s learning.

Fluency & Facts – Grades K-2
Susan Resnick

What is the definition of fact fluency? In this session, we will focus three phases of fluency: building facts, using known facts, and building automaticity. We will explore activities that simultaneously build number sense, flexibility, and automaticity without removing higher order thinking. We will discuss strategies used to compose and decompose numbers in order to strengthen understanding of addition and subtraction facts.

Number Sense and Reasoning Routines – Grades K-2
John SanGiovanni

Do your K-2 students struggle with reasoning about numbers and quantity, addition and subtraction, decomposition or even counting principles? Are you looking for practical, high-quality tasks to engage students and ignite discussion? In this session, participants learn about dynamic, doable activities that engage students in meaningful ways. A collection of ready-for-use resources will be provided and explored so that pursuit of number sense becomes a daily routine. These resources naturally complement each and every lesson in any middle school mathematics class. Classroom clips of colleagues leveraging these strategies will also be shared.

Filling Gaps – Grades K-2
David Costello

Teaching for Mastery: An Approach to Mathematics Instruction and Learning that Promotes Long-Term Understanding.

Have you heard students say “I don’t remember doing this,” “I forget,” or “can you tell us how to do this again”? Students do not tend to master something new after one or two lessons. In fact, much of what is taught today is lost in days because it is placed in short-term memory, not based on understanding and not reviewed over time. Within this session, David will explore an approach to instruction and learning that promotes long-term understanding by dedicating only a small-portion of the math class to review.

The goal of this presentation is to communicate the importance of teaching for mastery as a way to strengthen student mathematical comprehension. Within this presentation, I will share opportunities for how teachers can apply practical strategies to their daily instructional routine to strengthen students' long-term understanding of a concept and/or strategy. It is not enough to teach for short-term memory. Attendees will understand that by incorporating the three-four practices that I will share into their daily classroom routines, opportunities for students to move concepts and/or strategies into long-term understanding will be strengthened. Teachers will be provided strategies that can be applied to instructional and assessment practices as well as concrete evidence of the use of these strategies in the classroom. This session will provide the 'what', 'why' and 'how' of the strategies I will share.

Within this session, student work samples will be shared that focus on the following domains: Measurement and Data; Operations & Algebraic Thinking; and, Number and Operations in Base Ten.

Fractions / Measure & Data – Grades K-2
Greg Tang

Will many of your students end up struggling with fractions by middle school? Will they also have trouble converting units of measure – inches to centimeters or pounds to kilograms? If they are like most kids, too many will end up struggling with both of these important topics. But it doesn't have to be that way!

In this hands-on session, we will lay the foundation for both fractions and measurement by connecting them from the very beginning. We will model them concretely in a way that allows an important insight to emerge and be discovered by your students.

Could this insight be the key to preventing misconceptions with fractions and units of measure as kids grow older? Could it be the secret to making both topics make sense? Join us and experience firsthand a better way to teach fractions and measurement!

Fractions – Grades 3-5
Dr. Yeap Ban Har

What are the keys to understanding fractions? This sessions look at three critical areas and will include several anchor tasks for key ideas in fractions.

Number Sense and Reasoning Routines – Grades 3-5
John SanGiovanni

Do your 3-5 students struggle with number relationships and decomposition, addition and subtraction, multiplication and division and even fractions? Are you looking for practical, high-quality tasks to engage students and ignite discussion? In this session, participants learn about dynamic, doable activities that engage students in meaningful ways. A collection of ready-for-use resources will be provided and explored so that pursuit of number sense becomes a daily routine. These resources naturally complement each and every lesson in any middle school mathematics class. Classroom clips of colleagues leveraging these strategies will also be shared.

Variables – Grades 3-5
Chris Shore

Algebraic Thinking in Elementary School!

Your elementary school students do not need to graph parabolas, but they are expected to start experiencing variables and equations. It will be made clear to you exactly what is considered ‘algebraic thinking,’ what your algebraic skills your students are expected to take with them to middle school, and some powerful lessons to instill algebra in their young minds.

Statistics – Grades 6-8
Chris Shore

Statistics for Your 21st Century Middle School

The second hardest word in the new 21st century standards is ‘statistics,’ the hardest being ‘all.’ This means that we need to teach statistics to all students at all secondary grade levels. As the new standards where being developed, the business community begged for more statistics in the curriculum due to the ever growing existence of big data in the current economy. So let’s be sure we know these standards and how to teach them. We will take a journey from the meaning of statistics through mead absolute deviation and graphic displays, then finish with scatterplots and linear regressions.

Building Rational Number Understanding – Grades 6-8
Yeap Ban Har

Positive and negative numbers must be interpreted and applied in many ways; points on a numberline, temperature on a thermometer, points on a coordinate plane and many more. A complete and deep understanding is prerequisite to success in secondary and postsecondary mathematics. Ban Har will frame the necessary understanding and representations of rational and irrational numbers and demonstrate instructional strategies you can implement immediately that will increase your students’ understanding and engagement.

Morning Electives

Write Stuff – Grades K-5
David Costello

Using Writing to Frame, Support and Consolidate Student Mathematical Understanding.

Session Description: Writing is often used as a strategy to support reading comprehension. Why aren't we doing this more in math? There are numerous advantages to integrating writing into math. Within this presentation, David will share practical opportunities for how writing can be used to strengthen mathematical understanding. Attendees will understand that by building student writing opportunities into mathematics classrooms, opportunities for formative assessment will be strengthened and students will increase independence when problem solving. Teachers will be provided writing strategies that will frame, support, and consolidate student mathematical comprehension.

The goal of this presentation is to communicate the importance of writing as a way to strengthen student mathematical comprehension. Within this presentation, I will share opportunities for how writing can be used to strengthen the communication within the classroom. Attendees will understand that by building student writing opportunities into mathematics classrooms, opportunities for formative assessment will be strengthened and students will increase independence when problem solving. Teachers will be provided writing strategies that will frame, support, and consolidate student mathematical comprehension.

Within this session, student work samples will be shared that focus on the following domains: Measurement and Data; Operations & Algebraic Thinking; and, Number and Operations in Base Ten.

Geometry – Grades K-5
Susan Resnick

How does focusing on Geometry build new visualization skills and help students to develop number sense? In this session, we will look at the progression of Geometry concepts throughout the grades and practice specific activities to use Geometry concepts to improve students’ understanding of attributes, patterning, and fractional thinking.

Afternoon Electives

Brain Science – Grades K-8
Dr. Margaret Keane

This workshop will introduce you to fundamental concepts in neuroscience and psychology. You will learn about (and participate in!) some of the classic experiments in cognitive psychology that have deepened our understanding of learning and memory. We will also review with a critical eye some recent applications of neuroscience to educational practice.

Clothesline Math – Grades K-5
Chris Shore

Clothesline Math for Elementary has arrived! You will learn the power of this dynamic number sense tool and see how well it teaches important K-5 concepts from counting numbers, through addition, multiplication, fractions and variables. The new 21st Century elementary standards mention an ‘open number line’ over twenty times. You will learn what that means, why it is important for children to experience it, and how the ‘Master Number Sense Maker’ will help you teach students both current content and much needed number sense simultaneously.

Using Evidence of Student Understanding – Grades K-5
John SanGiovanni

Students are more than scores and percentages. Their understanding and misconceptions are real. How teachers plan for, collect, and use evidence is also real. This session provides a practical process to collect evidence and use it to plan next steps. This proven process complements lesson planning rather complicating it or adding more to an already full plate. Participants will learn about how tasks can be evaluated to determine the quality of evidence they provide. Participants will use student work to better understand what constitutes evidence. Participants will also step into a classroom to observe evidence and apply their learning of the session.

Enrichment – Grades 3-5
Dr. Yeap Ban Har

Ways to challenge students who grasp mathematical ideas quickly include acceleration and enrichment. In this session, we will experience several examples of enrichment lessons where students are challenged without requiring them to accelerate to new content.

Intervention – Grades 3-8
Susan Resnick

Differentiation isn’t a place students go, it is an active approach to tiering student learning. In this session, we will learn how to scaffold instruction through the analyzing student work and the use of a three-strand approach using the Concrete – Pictorial – Abstract cycle, Number Trajectories and a progression from recognition to production to extension. We will explore how and when to deliver differentiated instruction, what accommodations and modifications are appropriate and how to help our struggling learners succeed.

Enrichment – Grades 5-8
Greg Tang

Do only your advanced students need enrichment or do all your students need to be solving rigorous, thoughtful, well-designed problems? Can a student who is struggling with current grade level material really solve challenging, multi-step problems? Important questions to consider!

In this session, we will explore a progression of problems that gives students the opportunity to develop the skills they need to improve, advance and ultimately solve challenging problems. Equally as important, we will explore a progression of visual models that are the key to developing your students' abstract, algebraic thinking skills. In this sessions, we want it all. Better problems and better solutions. Join us!

JULY 14

JULY 15

Teaching Priorities – AM Keynote, All Grades
Dr. Yeap Ban Har

What are the priorities of a teacher during math lessons? Math learning, obviously but also mindset about the nature of math and mindset about the nature of learning. In this keynote, we explore ways to make the learning of all three happen.

Journaling – Grades K-2
Dr. Yeap Ban Har

Singaporean educators consider reflection to be one of the 5 necessary components for an effective mathematics lesson, and the use of math journals can be seen in almost all classrooms in Singapore. The research behind the use of journaling is definitive, yet few teachers realize how powerful math journaling can be and the many uses it has in the classroom.

Ban Har will demonstrate these uses, and why they are such an integral part of the Singapore approach to teaching mathematics. You will leave this session feeling excited and empowered to use journals in your classroom!

Fractions / Measure & Data – Grades K-2
Greg Tang

Will many of your students end up struggling with fractions by middle school? Will they also have trouble converting units of measure – inches to centimeters or pounds to kilograms? If they are like most kids, too many will end up struggling with both of these important topics. But it doesn't have to be that way!

In this hands-on session, we will lay the foundation for both fractions and measurement by connecting them from the very beginning. We will model them concretely in a way that allows an important insight to emerge and be discovered by your students.

Could this insight be the key to preventing misconceptions with fractions and units of measure as kids grow older? Could it be the secret to making both topics make sense? Join us and experience firsthand a better way to teach fractions and measurement!

Filling Gaps – Grades K-2
David Costello

Teaching for Mastery: An Approach to Mathematics Instruction and Learning that Promotes Long-Term Understanding.

Have you heard students say “I don’t remember doing this,” “I forget,” or “can you tell us how to do this again”? Students do not tend to master something new after one or two lessons. In fact, much of what is taught today is lost in days because it is placed in short-term memory, not based on understanding and not reviewed over time. Within this session, David will explore an approach to instruction and learning that promotes long-term understanding by dedicating only a small-portion of the math class to review.

The goal of this presentation is to communicate the importance of teaching for mastery as a way to strengthen student mathematical comprehension. Within this presentation, I will share opportunities for how teachers can apply practical strategies to their daily instructional routine to strengthen students' long-term understanding of a concept and/or strategy. It is not enough to teach for short-term memory. Attendees will understand that by incorporating the three-four practices that I will share into their daily classroom routines, opportunities for students to move concepts and/or strategies into long-term understanding will be strengthened. Teachers will be provided strategies that can be applied to instructional and assessment practices as well as concrete evidence of the use of these strategies in the classroom. This session will provide the 'what', 'why' and 'how' of the strategies I will share.

Within this session, student work samples will be shared that focus on the following domains: Measurement and Data; Operations & Algebraic Thinking; and, Number and Operations in Base Ten.

Filling Gaps – Grades 3-5
David Costello

Teaching for Mastery: An Approach to Mathematics Instruction and Learning that Promotes Long-Term Understanding.

Have you heard students say “I don’t remember doing this,” “I forget,” or “can you tell us how to do this again”? Students do not tend to master something new after one or two lessons. In fact, much of what is taught today is lost in days because it is placed in short-term memory, not based on understanding and not reviewed over time. Within this session, David will explore an approach to instruction and learning that promotes long-term understanding by dedicating only a small-portion of the math class to review.

The goal of this presentation is to communicate the importance of teaching for mastery as a way to strengthen student mathematical comprehension. Within this presentation, I will share opportunities for how teachers can apply practical strategies to their daily instructional routine to strengthen students' long-term understanding of a concept and/or strategy. It is not enough to teach for short-term memory. Attendees will understand that by incorporating the three-four practices that I will share into their daily classroom routines, opportunities for students to move concepts and/or strategies into long-term understanding will be strengthened. Teachers will be provided strategies that can be applied to instructional and assessment practices as well as concrete evidence of the use of these strategies in the classroom. This session will provide the 'what', 'why' and 'how' of the strategies I will share.

Within this session, student work samples will be shared that focus on the following domains: Measurement and Data; Operations & Algebraic Thinking; Number and Operations in Base Ten; and, Number and Operations – Fractions.

Fluency & Facts – Grades 3-5
Susan Resnick

What is the definition of fact fluency? In this session, we will focus three phases of fluency: building facts, using known facts, and building automaticity. We will explore activities that simultaneously build number sense, flexibility, and automaticity without removing higher order thinking. We will discuss strategies used to develop understanding of different forms of multiplication and division to help students generalize and apply facts needed for problem solving.

Geometry – Grades 3-5
Dr. Yeap Ban Har

Geometry is one of the most valued branches of mathematics because, if correctly taught, it develops our students ability to reason spatially. It provides them with the tools to visualize and model non-visual mathematical concepts and solutions to problems. Students cannot develop these skills if geometry and measurement concepts are not introduced and developed correctly.

Ban Har will provide his teachers with the understanding and tools they need to teach these concepts effectively and with high levels of student engagement. Through demonstration lessons he will teach the correct use of manipulatives, journaling and assessment so teachers can be sure their students are learning and growing as they should be.

Geometry – Grades 6-8
Annie Fetter

Geometry is often experienced as tons of vocabulary, definitions, and laundry lists of properties of objects. Not surprisingly, plenty of people say that geometry was their least favorite math class. We’ll look at geometry a little bit differently and explore these questions: What does it mean to reason geometrically? How do you promote rigorous thinking in geometry? How do you actually prove something?

We’ll explore a set of hexagons and come up with our own ways of sorting and naming them, as well as identify their properties, write definitions for them, determine relationships between them, and maybe even propose and prove some theorems.

By shifting the focus to generating of ideas instead of memorizing of laundry lists, we can get more students involved in rigorous geometric reasoning and maybe even convince more of them that they have important mathematical ideas that are worth exploring and considering.

CPA & Equations – Grades 6-8
Susan Resnick

How can we use the Concrete – Pictorial – Abstract cycle to help students move through the equations and functions trajectory when it all seems so abstract? Get ready to get moving and learn to use concrete and pictorial experiences to help students acquire the concepts while they develop the algorithms side by side.

Morning Electives

Math Centers – Grades K-5
Greg & Tammy Tang

Do you use math centers and small group activities to reinforce skills, differentiate instruction, and provide students with independent learning opportunities? If so, we can help! We have spent countless hours developing, testing and refining materials that teach key skills and strategies. Our center activities are standards-based, effective, and fun.

In this session, you will experience firsthand how Cuisenaire Rods – both actual and digital rods – can be used to model part-whole relationships, visualize whole numbers and fractions, make sense of additive and multiplicative comparisons, and solve word problems. These colorful rods are a game-changer when it comes to building strong computational and problem-solving skills!

Notice & Wonder – Grades K-5
Annie Fetter

Making the Most of Noticing and Wondering

Heard about Noticing and Wondering, but aren't sure what it really looks like? Already do it, but wonder if you're truly leveraging students' ideas?

Participants will experience three different versions of Noticing and Wondering (NW): (1) What Did You Hear? (2) What Did You See? and (3) Noticing and Wondering. We'll wear both student and teacher hats as we do math together, then look back at the way each activity was structured to maximize and value the students' contributions.

We will reflect on the ways in which NW increases student engagement and access to mathematics, but also how NW is a tool that can scaffold teachers' engagement in "decentering”.

Teuscher, Moore, and Carlson (2015) argue that teachers who decenter are more likely build models of their student thinking and make decisions according to their understanding of how students are understanding mathematics, which is at the center of eliciting and using student thinking to inform instruction.

Mathematically, we’ll explore multiples, factors, tables, extending visual patterns, and area and perimeter. Join And wondering why you didn’t teach like this before!

JULY 14

JULY 15


 

Activities

Yoga & Meditation

Have you always wanted to try yoga? Now is your chance! Join us mornings or afternoons for a class with the extraordinary Nicole. Whether you’re a pure beginner or an experienced practitioner, she will inspire you to become more aware, accepting and appreciative of your body.

Nicole will also offer her highly-rated meditation classes this summer. Speakers will fill your mind during the day, and Nicole will help bring clarity and purpose in the afternoon.

Yoga classes 6:30-7:30a on Wed & Thu, 4:15-5:15p on Tue and 4:00-5:00p on Wed.
Meditation classes 5:15-5:30pon Tue and5:00-5:15pWed.

Swing & Salsa

Have you ever watched people on a dance floor and wished it were you? Then join us for Lindy Hop lessons with Greg & Nancy. No partner necessary, just a smile and 2 left feet are all you need! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FtzhcjqLxBM

For those who prefer Latin music, Nancy will offer salsa lessons each afternoon. Life is short. Isn’t it time to dance?

Salsa lessons 4:15-5:15p Tue & 4:00-5:00p Wed.
Lindy Hop 6:30-7:30p on Tue & Wed.

Live Music & Game Night

Join us for an incredible night of dancing to live music from the local Kansas City swing band

Tom's TownwithDanny Cox! This evening is a favorite among dancers and fans of all ages.

Ready for even more fun? Greg Jr. and his crew will be there to entertain us with his creative, new math games. What better way to celebrate newfound friends and colleagues than listening to great music, dancing, playing games, and winning t-shirts and puzzle packs."Winner, winner, chicken dinner!”

Live music, dancing & game night from 7:30-10:00p on Wednesday.

 

Hotel

Kansas City Westin at Crown Center
1 E Pershing Rd
Kansas City, MO 64108
Phone: 816-474-4400
https://www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/mciwi-the-westin-kansas-city-at-crown-center/
All workshops and activities will be held at the Westin at Crown Center Kansas City. Onsite parking is $25 per day.

Our room block has expired, but we still have a handful of rooms availableat the discount rate. Pleaseemail me directly at tj@gregtang.comif you are looking for a room at the discount rate during the conference. Dual occupancy rates start at $162* per night subject to availability,
*Additional taxes and fees may apply.


Airport Transportation:

We have discount shuttle transportation through Super Shuttle for those who are not renting a vehicle and need transportation from MCI Airport to The Westin. Round trip rates start at just $34 per person. Click hereto book your transport now. There are also transportation options withUber&Lyftwhich look to be a similar rate to Super Shuttle.

Things to do in Kansas City

Sea Life Aquarium Kansas CityDiscover the two-story aquarium, featuring more than 30 phenomenal displays directly inside the Crown Center Complex.


LEGOLAND Discovery Center Kansas CityA world of color, creativity and fun, attractions, rides, 4D cinema and more.


Kemper Museum of Contemporary ArtA city gem, the Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art houses famous contemporary pieces, exhibitions and more.


Truman Sports ComplexHome to both Arrowhead and Kauffman Stadiums which houses the Kansas City Chiefs football team and 2015 World Series Champion Kansas City Royals baseball team.


Kansas City ZooThe Kansas City Zoo is 200 acres and includes African, Australian and Farmland exhibits, among many others.


Crown CenterThere’s always something going on at this Kansas City entertainment center. Check out the free outdoor movies and concerts during the summer months.


Country Club PlazaThe Downtown District offers premier dining, shopping, entertainment and events in Kansas City.


The Nelson-Atkins Museum of ArtInternationally recognized for its collection of more than 33,500 objects from ancient times to modern day.


Science CityLearning is fun with hands-on activities and over 50 interactive areas.


Oceans of FunExplore 60-acres of drenching slides and water attractions.


Worlds of FunExplore the Amusement Park with thrill rides, attractions, shows and more to enjoy for the whole family.


Coco Key Indoor Water ResortThe Key West-themed Coco Key Indoor Water Resort is a 55,000-square foot indoor water oasis, where it is a comfortable 84 degrees all year long.


Hallmark Visitors CenterCatch a behind-the-scenes peek at the world’s largest greeting-card company headquarters directly inside our Crown Center complex.


KaleidoscopeFrom the minds behind Hallmark, experience a free creative workshop for kids ages 5 to 12.

Arts & Cultural Activities in Kansas City



American Jazz MuseumIncludes interactive exhibits and films, educational programs, the Changing Gallery, the Blue Room jazz club and the Gem Theater, a 500-seat performing arts center.


Negro Leagues Baseball MuseumFounded in 1990 to commemorate African American history in baseball, the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum is a great place to explore history, exhibits, news and events.


National World War One MuseumDesignated by Congress as the official World War One Museum, the museum showcases the history around the world during World War One using impressive interactive technologies.


The Nelson-Atkins Museum of ArtInternationally recognized for its collection of more than 33,500 objects and artifacts from ancient times to modern day.


Coterie TheatreA professional Equity theatre serving families and young audiences, Coterie Theatre is named “one of the five best theatres for young audiences in the US” by Time Magazine.


Harley Davidson Final Assembly Plant Tour facility to see how hogs are made.

Meals

To make sure everyone is caffeinated and on time for their workshops, we’ll provide coffee and danish from 7:30-8:15 each morning and a deli lunch each day from 11:15-12:00. It’s all part of your registration fee, and we’re still less expensive than many conferences!


Why don’t other conferences supply breakfast and lunch like us? Because it’s expensive. But we believe it’s money well-spent as it allows us to compress our schedule and offer additional workshops each day. In addition, one of the important goals of our conference is to encourage camaraderie and collegiality and eating together is a great way to meet new people and get to know our friendly presenters.


We do not provide dinner, so grab a few of your newfound friends and head to one of Kansas City’s culinary options.

Crown Center Restaurants

The Brasserie Restaurant– When you're in the mood for good times and great food, be sure to check out The Brasserie located in the lobby of The Westin Kansas City at Crown Center. Serving breakfast, lunch, dinner and full bar. Restaurant is a casual – relaxed setting, known for its delightful staff and superb cuisine.

The Crayola Cafe– Not just for kids! Although we pride ourselves on being "kid-friendly," Crayola Cafe is not just for kids! The regular lunch and dinner menus feature delicious selections that will appeal to the more experienced diner. These items include entree salads, Pizza, chicken selections, and several burger and sandwich choices.


The American– Reinventing American Cuisine. Established in 1974 with iconic architecture and sweeping views of Kansas City, The American offers progressive cuisine led by executive chef Michael Corvino.


Milano's– Italian Dining · Milano is located at 25th and Grand on the first level of Crown Center. The restaurant is glass enclosed and has a view of Crown Center’s fabulous fountains with 49 jets that plume water 25 feet into the air.


Spectators Restaurant & Bar– Spectators a Boulevard Beer Inspired Gastro Pub, located on the second floor of Sheraton Kansas City at Crown Center, is an exciting casual dining experience Based around a gastro pub concept, Spectators has incorporated healthy options and regional cuisines.

Other Nearby Options

Country Club Plaza– Located 3 miles south of Crown Center, the Country Club Plaza features 15 blocks of upscale shops and restaurants in a charming Spanish-inspired setting.


Westport– This historic district was once a passageway to the western frontier and is now a colorful array of boutiques, restaurants and nightlife.


Power & Light Entertainment District– The newest entertainment district in the downtown Kansas City area provides eclectic dining, entertainment and shopping options for everyone.


Zona Rosa– Live. Work. Play. Near the airport, Zona Rosa is the destination for everything you need with luxury living, dining and shopping options in one centralized location.

Kansas City Barbecue

Yelp– Highest-rated BBQ restaurants in KC


Travel ChannelBest barbecue joints in the city


Chow TownKansas City dominates list of America’s Best Ribs


USA Today10 Best KC BBQ Restaurants


 

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I pay with a credit card?
Yes, we accept credit card payments on our website. After completing your registration information you will be taken to the payments page where you can complete your registration using your credit card. You will receive an email once your payment has been processed.


Can I register using a purchase order?
Of course! We know that many districts will only allow workshop registration using purchase orders. Once you complete your registration information, you will be taken to a page to complete your payment information. Your registration is not confirmed until you enter your purchase order information or complete purchase with credit card. If you do not have a PO # at the time of registration, enter "email" in the PO # field and send us an email at contact@tangmath.com to confirm your registration. You can email, fax or mail your PO to the information below. Payment is preferred prior to the event.


Do you have a paper registration form?
We accept registrations usingthisform, although we cannot guarantee space will be available at the time of receipt. To ensure your spot is saved for the workshop, youmust first register online:registration link. If your school requires paper registration, you should still complete the online registration and save your spot by entering the purchase order number as "Paper".


When is my payment due?
Payments are due prior to the event. We can accept cash, check and all major credit cards on-site at the workshop if prior arrangements have been made.


Do you offer group discounts?
For the 2019 Math Plus Events we have decided to forgo the group discounts and offer Early Bird Registration instead. Register by May 31st for a $60 per person discount.


I am unable to attend. Can someone take my spot?
Yes, you can switch out attendees at any point leading up to the conference. Just send us a quick email to contact@tangmath.com with the name of the attendee who is unable to join, and the name, grade level, and email address of their replacement. In-case there are last minute changes, have the replacement let us know at check-in who they will be filling in for.


What happens if I have to cancel?
We understand there are times where you may be unable to attend a conference you have registered for. If cancellation is done more than 30-days from the event, we will refund your registration cost minus a $100 administration fee. We will waive the cancellation fee by holding the balance paid to a future workshop hosted by Creative Smarts, Inc. if requested.


There are no refunds for cancellations within 30-days of the event (no refunds for cancellations requested after June 9th).


Can I get an invoice for my registration?
When you complete your registration, an automatic confirmation email is sent to the email address listed as the payment contact. This email includes a link to download your invoice.Please check your junk/spam folder to see if this email was caught up there.If you are still unable to find the invoice, write to us at contact@tangmath.com with the primary registrant’s name and we will email you an invoice.


Are you a vendor for my district?
There is a good possibility we have been added as a vendor in your district from a previous workshop, if so we would be listed as "Tang Math LLC". If we are not listed as a vendor, we would be glad to provide you the information you need to have us added. Email us atcontact@tangmath.com and we will send over the required tax form. Our contact information is listed below.


Do you offer college credit for this workshop?
Yes, we are able to offer 1.5 semester units of college credit through Humboldt State University for the 2019 Math Plus Conference. The cost of $50 per unit. These courses are offered primarily for elective or professional development purposes.


What time is the conference?
The full daily schedule can be seen at the bottom of thesessions tab. We will plan to have onsite check-in available the night before the conference. Check-in on Tuesday, July 9th will start at 7:00 am. Further registration details will be provided nearer to the event.


May I record a session at the conference?
Audio or visual recording is not permitted at any workshop or seminar due to copyright/trademark issues.


What is your contact information?

Company name:Tang Math LLC.
Mailing address:PO Box 777850
 Henderson, NV 89077
Email Address:contact@tangmath.com
Phone Number:858-244-0498
Fax Number:858-408-2986

 

Apply to attend

The cost of our conference is $849, with a daily breakfast and lunch included.

Our goal is to make this the best three days of learning you have ever experienced. We hope you will help us spread the word by sharing our link with your friends and colleagues:

gregtangmath.com/mathplus.

Together, we can make the 2019 Math Plus Conference a conference to remember!

Booking overnight accommodations at the Westin at Crown Center Kansas City, where all workshop events will take place, is done directly through the hotel. View the

hotel info pageto see full details about booking your room.

Questions? Please contact us at:

contact@tangmath.com.
Click here to apply!

 
Feedback from Past Conferences

"I can honestly say that this was the best conference I have attended in years! On any topic! It was non-stop information, challenges, support and encouragement. We weren’t expected to “know” the math. We were expected to try, talk, think, construct connections, and do math. I taught first grade for 25 years and am now working with math teachers at various levels. I attended the 3-5 series and much of it was a challenge. But I never felt threatened because I didn’t already know how to do something. I learned so much! Thank you for an amazing experience."


"This conference respects that a teacher's time is precious. It cuts out anything that is not directly related to making you a better math teacher. It has some of the most inspiring presenters that make you excited to get back in the classroom and revolutionize the way we teach math."


"You will get great information and teaching methods that work. You will have your mind opened to ways of thinking you have not thought of before, but that make sense!"


"Very organized. Wonderful presenters that love math and love to have fun! Information is presented in a fun, easy to follow format."


"Everything you wanted to know about methods and implementation of math education put on by the best in math. Overwhelming in a very good way."


"This conference is the most amazing experience that a teacher will have as far as professional development. They will learn how and why to teach math for understanding."


"It's a math conference with extremely knowledgeable presenters that provide you with a lot of examples and resources that will truly get you to start thinking about & teaching math in a more student friendly and centered manner."


Space is limited and hotel rooms will fill fast, so don't wait any longer.

Click here to apply!