Findings from Statewide Grade-Level Improvement Teams (GrITs)

Submitted by Elaine Cook, Berkeley County Math Teacher Leader

This year, teacher teams across West Virginia engaged in shared classroom tasks designed to uncover student thinking, strengthen professional collaboration, and identify common learning barriers across grade bands. Though the content differed by grade, several themes emerged: students often struggled to connect hands-on learning to symbolic representation, lacked precise academic vocabulary, and benefited from structured discussion and collaborative reasoning.

Across grade levels, common learning patterns emerged:

• Vocabulary and symbolic reasoning require intentional, ongoing reinforcement.
• Hands-on tasks effectively expose misconceptions, but students often need support translating concrete work into mathematical generalizations.
• Collaborative reasoning and structured discussion improve understanding, yet many students lack regular practice with it.
• Professional collaboration matters. Teachers consistently reported that examining shared student work deepened their own understanding of instructional challenges and strengthened connections across schools and districts.

These findings highlight the value of open-ended tasks that surface student thinking, along with continued statewide collaboration that supports instructional improvement and coherence. To learn more about individual grade-level learning, read more here.

Highlighting Excellence in Math Instruction
Two Math Teacher Leaders Share Takeaways from
Peer Observation

M3T provides us an opportunity that many of us do not normally have once we graduate college: peer observations. I was granted the opportunity to observe Kristen Shannon at Oak Hill High School. Kristen is calm, cool and collected at all times and handles everything with grace. It was wonderful to observe another teacher face the same challenges I face daily and learn what strategies they use to face these challenges. I would say it was one of the most beneficial experiences I’ve had. As teachers, we should never be stagnant, we can all learn from each other. This network allows us to learn from each other where all feel welcome and heard. –Laiken Lucas, Mercer County Schools Math Teacher Leader

This fall, I had the opportunity to spend the day at Martinsburg North Middle School visiting Josh Jones. His thoughtful approach to designing and delivering math instruction reflects both his deep understanding of the subject matter and his passion for teaching. Highlighting one of his instructional strategies was his use of vertical white boards. This gets students out of their seats and working collaboratively with hands-on math practice. He fosters an active learning environment where students can communicate, problem-solve, and build confidence in their mathematical thinking. One key takeaway was Josh’s use of provided notes for his students, providing an organized way to follow along with instruction and examples to reference later when needed. I want to thank Berkeley County Schools and Martinsburg North Middle School for allowing me to spend the day observing Josh Jones.

– Randall Wolfe, Hardy County Schools Math Teacher Leader

💡 Collaborative Insights 💡
Addressing Probability Gaps in Geometry

Submitted by Jack Kaniecki, Ohio County Math Teacher Leader

Our recent teacher collaboration session focused on a critical area where many students struggle: Probability Concepts within the Geometry curriculum. This session highlighted significant, widespread gaps in student understanding and reinforced the need for foundational pre-work to ensure success. The lesson revealed that a lack of prior experience with probability leads to several persistent errors.

Click here to find out more about the gaps the team discovered as well as the teams key instructional takeaways.

Carrying the Torch of Teacher Leadership

Submitted by Jami Packer, Brooke County Schools Math Teacher Leader
 

Over the past few years in my work with WVCTM, I’ve found myself reflecting on what it means for our profession to move from one generation of educators to the next. We talk about “teacher leadership” often, but watching that transition happen in real time—both in WVCTM and within our M3T network—has given the idea new weight. As the first cohort of M3T Fellows steps back and a new group steps up, you can feel the passing of the torch. The work doesn’t pause; it simply shifts to new hands.

That feeling crystallized for me at the NCTM conference in Atlanta, where our team presented with former NCTM President Mike Shaughnessy in the audience. We were fortunate enough to have him join us for lunch. Sitting with someone who has shaped math education for decades was grounding. As he talked about the work he still cares about, and also the retirement he is now fully and deservedly embracing, I was struck by how real this cycle of leadership is. Leadership isn’t something we gradually “try out.” It’s something we inherit by staying in the work long enough—and something we choose when we continue to invest in the profession and the people who will follow us.

M3T was built on the belief that teachers are the ones closest to the work and therefore best positioned to lead meaningful change. When teachers are trusted to guide their own growth, collaborate with peers, and take ownership of improvement, our classrooms thrive—and so does our profession. If we truly believe that, then the responsibility is ours: to treat this work as bigger than our individual roles and to carry forward the legacy others have entrusted to us.
 

West Virginia Teachers Speak at National Math Conference 

Submitted by Nancy Mitan, Monongalia County Math Teacher Leader
 

Pictured: Adam Riazi, Jami Packer, Joanna Burt-Kinderman, Stephanie Workman, Nancy Mitan

A small group of us had the incredible opportunity to speak at the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) Annual Conference in Atlanta, Georgia—the largest gathering of math educators in the country. Representing the M3T project, I shared my personal leadership journey and reflected on how being part of this community has helped me grow as an educator and leader.

Public speaking has never been something I’ve naturally gravitated toward, but this experience challenged me to step out of my comfort zone. With the support and encouragement of my M3T colleagues, I was able to share our collective story—highlighting how this work empowers teachers to lead and grow without leaving the classroom. It was an honor to represent a project that is truly unique in its approach to teacher leadership and professional development. This is the first project of this size in the country, and people from all over the nation are eager to learn from our model. Through M3T, we’re proving that meaningful change in education can come from within—teachers leading teachers, learning with and from one another to strengthen math instruction in our classrooms. We are not outsourcing professional development; we are creating it together.

Beyond presenting, I had the chance to attend inspiring sessions led by educators from across the country. I came away with fresh ideas, ready to bring what I learned back to both my school team and the M3T community.

This experience was more than a speaking opportunity—it was a reminder of the impact we’re making together and how powerful it can be to take a step beyond what feels comfortable in order to grow.

Leadership as Letting Go and Lifting Up

Submitted by Breck Loudermilk, Marion County Math Teacher Leader

My journey with M3T has pushed me to rethink what leadership looks like in a math department. The growth I’ve experienced through the network has helped me open my classroom to a student teacher. I could never deny a student being in my classroom anyway! I see mentorship not as an interruption to my work but as a chance to multiply impact. Inviting another teacher into my practice has allowed me to model openness, reflection, and collaboration, which are the very things M3T encourages us to cultivate.

Leadership also means knowing when to step back to create space for others. Two years ago, I passed along the opportunity to teach AP Calculus to one colleague and College Algebra to another. I already teach AP Precalculus, and I believe a leader shouldn’t keep all the amazing upper level classes for themselves. Spreading the wealth strengthens the whole department! Also, I stepped back from leading the department as department chair so another could take on that leadership role. 

Another way I see leadership is by encouraging colleagues to pursue their own professional growth. I encouraged a fellow teacher to work toward National Board Certification with me. The process is challenging, but it is also one of the most rewarding ways to grow as an educator. Supporting one another through that journey not only strengthens individual teachers, but also elevates the school and department.

The common thread through these decisions is simple: leadership is not about holding on, but about lifting up and opening up—whether to colleagues, to future teachers, or to new opportunities. M3T has helped me see that clearly, and it’s transformed the way I think about my own classroom and department as a whole.

Finding and Fixing the “Bug”: How CRAVE Is Strengthening Student Mathematical Thinking

Submitted by Brittney Baisden, Mingo County Math Teacher Leader

Over the last several months, our Mingo LIT (Local Improvement Team) has been very busy! While teaching our classes and doing our normal day-to-day, we have, also, identified a significant “bug” in our classrooms after reviewing our recent student survey data. One of the key survey questions asked students whether their teacher wants them to explain their thinking (why they think what they think.) Our team was not satisfied with our results on this item, and we recognized that we needed to provide students with more consistent opportunities—and clearer structures—to share their reasoning in meaningful ways. After weeks of researching and collaborating with each other, as well as other teams across the state, we finally decided on a plan to put in place and try. To address this need, our LIT implemented a new change idea called CRAVE, a simple, memorable acronym that gives students a reliable framework for explaining their mathematical thought process:

C – Complete Sentences
R – Refer Back to the Question
A – Answer Correctly
V – Vocabulary Usage
E – Explain Your Reasoning

CRAVE is designed not only to guide the student who is speaking, but also to actively engage the entire class. Click here to learn more about CRAVE and the Mingo County PDSA.

Vocal and Not Just Local

The virtual Mercer County team has a lot to brag about! This team consists of 3 middle school teachers and 3 high school teachers. Over the past ten meetings on Teams, we have had nearly perfect attendance! Not only that – we have awesome vocal participation! Everyone shares, contributes, offers ideas, and truly collaborates even in this sometimes-awkward setting. In addition, one of our members doesn’t even teach here – she teaches in Roane County! It’s truly awesome when teachers who haven’t all met in person can feel comfortable enough to work together for positive change. Member Stacie Gill (PikeView High) says, “M3T has been an eye opening experience. I have had to challenge myself to see from a new perspective of my students. It has been wonderful to be able to bounce ideas off other math teachers and being able to come up with new ways to help students learn.” Honei Long (PikeView Middle) adds, “M3T has been a blessing and a challenge this school year. A blessing in a way of meeting teachers and getting to know how other teachers work in their classroom. However, a challenge for me to be a better teacher in my own classroom by giving me a different perspective.” These two teachers, along with others in the LIT, plan on attending and presenting at the state math conference in March.
– Jessica Thomas, Mercer County Math Teacher Leader

Warm Welcome

After spending 12 years at the same school, I was a bit nervous to move to a new school and district as well as build the Local Improvement Team (LIT). However, I could not have asked for a warmer welcome from Cameron High School and Marshall County Schools. I am fortunate to have Cheyanne Fletcher-Berger as an amazing colleague and LIT co-leader. She has made the transition to my new position an easy one. Our LIT is thriving, with 14 educators representing 9 schools- elementary through high school. Assistant Superintendent, Karen Klamut’s, support has been pivotal to this growth. I am grateful for her support along with Superintendent, Shelby Haines’, of our work thus far. I am looking forward to learning and growing with our LIT throughout the school year!
– Annie Vopal, Marshall County Math Teacher Leader