Student Engagement in Mathematics, Part 2: Open/Parallel Tasks and Choice Boards

This workshop focuses on increasing student engagement in mathematics through the use of open tasks, parallel tasks, and choice boards. Participants will learn how these strategies can provide multiple entry points into mathematical problems, allowing students with varying abilities to engage meaningfully with content. The session highlights how choice fosters ownership of learning and how parallel tasks promote differentiation without lowering expectations. Educators will explore practical ways to design and implement these approaches to make math more inclusive, rigorous, and student-centered.

• Lack of student engagement and ownership in mathematics learning
  
  
• Limited strategies for differentiating instruction while maintaining rigor
  
  
• Over-reliance on one-size-fits-all tasks that do not meet the needs of diverse learners

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1. Designing Open and Parallel Tasks – Teachers will learn how to create open-ended and parallel math problems that allow for multiple solution strategies and adapt to a wide range of learner readiness levels.
   
   
2. Implementing Choice Boards Effectively – Participants will gain tools for developing and using choice boards to give students agency in their learning, while still aligning with standards and instructional goals.
   
   
3. Balancing Rigor and Differentiation – Educators will explore strategies to ensure tasks remain challenging while being accessible, providing every student the opportunity to engage deeply with mathematical concepts.