Simply put, Inside Mathematics is a professional resource for educators passionate about improving students’ mathematics learning and performance, but the collection of resources they have made available to teachers (at no cost) is far from simple! The site is a result of work with the Silicon Valley Mathematics Initiative, which is based on high performance expectations, ongoing professional development, examining student work, and improved math instruction.
The classroom videos section of Inside Mathematics is a great place to start, and the Number Talk videos are particularly noteworthy. If you’ve ever wished you could be a fly on the wall in another teacher’s classroom, this resource is for you! Throughout all the videos, witness strong math instruction in action on the elementary and middle school levels, guided tours of reflective mathematics practice, planning and debrief conversations, and effective daily practices you can implement in your classroom.
All resources are aligned to the Common Core standards for both mathematical practice and content and you can easily search by grade level (K-12) or by strand to find Problems of the Month, Performance Assessment Tasks and occasionally Math Tasks that address your specific need. Problems of the Month (POM) provide a unique approach to math problem-solving, and each POM is divided into five levels of difficulty to help promote a school-wide culture of problem solving and help scaffold students and stretch their thinking into deeper levels of mathematical complexity. Read more about the POM in their free iBook or PDF.
The site itself is simple to use and easy to navigate, letting you focus on improving your craft and observing the strong practices of other teachers. Whether you are a seasoned educator or a first year teacher, Inside Mathematics has something for you!
A word of warning: Be sure to allow yourself plenty of time when you visit this site – with the amount of resources available, you could spend hours browsing and learning!
