Math in Afterschool: A Guide to Using the Afterschool Training Toolkit for Professional Development

The seven promising practices in afterschool for math identified in the Afterschool Training Toolkit are as follows:

• Finding Math
• Math Centers
• Math Games
• Math Projects
• Math Tools
• Math Tutoring
• Family Connections

By “promising” practices, we mean recommended methods that have been observed to increase student achievement. Each practice is built on youth development principles and research on effective mathematics instruction. At their core, the Afterschool Training Toolkit materials are designed to illustrate techniques and activities that leverage student curiosity to make mathematics in afterschool both enjoyable and relevant. This guide provides professional development ideas for each practice.

In addition, three key ideas ensure that each practice results in the learning of important mathematics content, processes, and concepts: 1) problem solving, 2) math talk, and 3) working together. These key ideas are woven throughout each of the practices. It is important when providing professional development that each of these three key ideas are addressed and instructors are aware of how the ideas can be utilized within each of the practices. For more detail regarding the three key ideas for supporting mathematics learning, visit www.sedl.org/afterschool/toolkits/math.

This is one of four professional development guides for use with the Afterschool Training Toolkit.