Empowering Coaches to Cultivate Deeper Student Reasoning
Audience: Instructional Coaches, Campus/District Math Leaders
Session Description:
Critical thinking is not just a skill—it's a mindset that can be developed with the right classroom culture, questioning strategies, and task design. In this session, instructional coaches will deepen their understanding of what critical thinking looks like in math and how to support teachers in nurturing it through intentional coaching.
Participants will:
?? Define and identify the components of critical thinking in math instruction, including reasoning, justification, and strategic problem solving
?? Analyze tasks and lesson plans for their potential to promote critical thinking
?? Practice coaching conversations that support teachers in shifting classroom discourse and questioning techniques
?? Explore tools and protocols for observing, planning, and reflecting on critical thinking opportunities
?? Use student work and video cases to sharpen their lens on evidence of critical thinking in action
Coaches will walk away with a toolbox of strategies they can use immediately in PLCs, coaching cycles, and classroom visits—helping their teams move beyond procedural fluency toward deep, conceptual understanding and flexible thinking.