Welcome to the Deep Dive into the World of Building Thinking Classrooms, powered by [Math]odology! This transformative two-day workshop (July 17-18, 2025) is designed for any educator who wants to spark real thinking and create a dynamic, active culture of learning in their classroom.
Inspired by Peter Liljedahl’s research and the Building Thinking Classrooms framework, this workshop is all about moving beyond passive learning. You’ll experience hands-on, interactive sessions where you’ll try out practical strategies proven to get students thinking, collaborating, and truly engaging with mathematics.
Across these two days, Sarah and Peter will share easy-to-implement tools that help students take ownership of their learning, make sense of challenging problems, and reflect on their thought processes. You’ll work in small groups, explore real classroom scenarios, and have time to plan, reflect, and network with other educators who are equally passionate about building classrooms where thinking comes first.
Workshop Format:
- Interactive, hands-on sessions
- Small group collaborations
- Real classroom application scenarios
- Time for planning and reflection
- Opportunities to network with fellow educators
Whether you’re new to Building Thinking Classrooms or looking to deepen your practice, you’ll leave with fresh ideas and the confidence to transform your teaching. Let’s build classrooms where curiosity, collaboration, and critical thinking thrive—together, we can make every student a thinker.
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Ready to Spark Joy and Meaning in Every Math Moment?
Building Thinking Classrooms: Two Days of Interactive, Practical Learning for Every Educator
Day 1: Creating the Culture in Your Classroom
Morning Session:
- Dive into two engaging non-curricular tasks that bring the Building Thinking Classrooms (BTC) approach to life
- Take a close look at Practices 1-10 from Liljedahl’s framework, unpacking how they work together to foster an environment where students are ready and eager to think
- Get hands-on with interactive learning experiences that model what a thinking classroom really feels like
Afternoon Session:
Participate in practical, application-focused workshops where you’ll connect ideas from the morning to your own teaching context
Work through a complete curricular lesson, with special emphasis on how to bring lessons to a meaningful close using BTC’s consolidation practices
Explore strategies for intentionally shaping classroom culture so that every student feels invited to participate and persevere
Day 2: Fluency and Assessment
Morning Session:
- Tackle two curricular tasks and see how to use BTC routines to deepen mathematical fluency and understanding
- Experience a full BTC lesson from start to finish, noticing how assessment and feedback are woven throughout
- Collaborate with fellow educators to share insights, troubleshoot challenges, and celebrate successes
Afternoon Session:
- Design your own BTC lessons, applying what you’ve learned to create experiences that get students thinking
- Receive direct, personalized feedback from Peter and Sarah, with time for questions and discussion
- Develop concrete plans for implementing BTC in your classroom, so you’re ready to hit the ground running
By the end of these two days, you’ll have the tools, confidence, and inspiration to build a classroom culture where every student is truly a thinker.
Day 1
Classroom Culture
Day 2
Fluency and Implementation
Hear from our past students…
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
“I feel confident in my ability to challenge my students and to change their attitudes towards math. The language I am now equipped with will help me achieve this!”
Tracy- Grade 1 Teacher
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
“After really committing to BTC this school year, I feel so much more comfortable with my teaching practice—especially after last summer’s conference. Having Peter walk us through each lesson step-by-step, from the hook to the CYU problems, was a game-changer for me. Seeing how he set up the gallery walk with numbered boards helped everything click, and I loved watching how he modeled what the student boards should look like to really drive key points home. The Q&A sessions were another highlight—I honestly think you could never have too much time for those. Overall, the experience made a huge difference in my classroom.”
Dianne- Grade 4 Teacher
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
“Sarah’s ongoing knowledge of of our school and our collective math journey enables her to really provide targeted feedback for professional growth. Pausing to reflect, discuss, and plan with colleagues and Sarah moves us to continuing that growth, benefiting everyone in the learning community. Bringing in researcher, Peter, was the icing on the cake! Thank you!!
Barbara- Head of Instruction
Course Curriculum
Module 1: Orientation
Module 2: Workshop
Module 3: Next Steps
Resources
Meet Your Instructors
Sarah Schaefer & Dr. Peter Liljedahl
Sarah Schaefer is the founder of Mathodology and CEO of think!Mathematics, with over 20 years of experience teaching K-12 mathematics in both public and private schools. She holds a Masters in Education from Boston University and is renowned for her early and passionate adoption of the Singapore Math® methodology, which she has used to transform classrooms across the United States. Sarah’s commitment to innovative teaching and her focus on developing practical strategies for educators have made her a sought-after leader in professional development and curriculum design. Her work continues to inspire teachers and young mathematicians alike, helping to create a community of engaged, confident learners (Mathodology, think!Mathematics).
Dr. Peter Liljedahl is a Professor of Mathematics Education at Simon Fraser University in Vancouver, Canada, and a former high school mathematics teacher. His career bridges classroom practice and academic research, with a focus on fostering deep mathematical thinking and building effective learning communities. Peter is internationally recognized for his research on mathematics education and is the author of the influential book “Building Thinking Classrooms.” He is also the current president of the Canadian Mathematics Education Study Group and is frequently consulted for his expertise on innovative teaching practices that promote student engagement and knowledge transfer (Peter Liljedahl Official Site, Building Thinking Classrooms, Math Learning Center).
Unlock your teaching potential with Workshop Instructors—where real classroom experience meets a relentless drive for student success.
Instructors: Elevating Math Education with Unmatched Expertise
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Deep Dive into the World of Building Thinking Classrooms (Individual)
The best option for individual sign up!
Deep Dive into the World of Building Thinking Classrooms (Group)
Frequently Asked Questions
Say Yes—Empower Children, Empower Yourself
Will you join us on a journey that over a thousand people just like you have taken—empowering children and themselves through our unique method and dedicated support?
