By the Illustrative Mathematics team East Hartford Public Schools didn’t start its math improvement journey by choosing a new curriculum. It started by asking a more fundamental question: What should mathematics instruction look like, and why? That distinction...
Problem-Based Learning
A District on the Rise: How Dover School District Strengthened Coherence with IM® 6–8 Math
Oct 7, 2026
By the Illustrative Mathematics team Education Scorecard—a collaboration between Harvard University’s Center for Education Policy Research and Stanford University’s Educational Opportunity Project—recently named Dover School District in New Hampshire a District on the...
Anatomy of an IM® Math Lesson: Making Meaning in the Lesson Synthesis
Aug 18, 2026
by Sarah Caban, Director, PK–12 Learning Experiences and Timesha Brooks, Sr Specialist, PL Design Imagine you're teaching Grade 6, Unit 1, Lesson 4. Students have spent the class investigating the area of parallelograms. As you circulate during activity 3, you notice...
IM’s Back-to-School Toolkit 2026–27
Aug 11, 2026
By the Illustrative Mathematics team Every new school year brings both excitement and plenty of questions. Whether you’re teaching with IM® Math for the first time, returning after summer break, or supporting teachers as a coach, we’ve gathered some of our most...
Anatomy of an IM® Math Lesson: Why Centers Matter
Aug 3, 2026
by Lindy Olejniczak, PK–6 Content Specialist In this series of blog posts—The Anatomy of an IM® Math Lesson—we’re taking a closer look at each part of an IM® Math lesson and how it contributes to meaningful student learning. After exploring the launch and warm-up in...
Anatomy of an IM® Math Lesson: Setting Up Students for Success with the Warm-up
Jul 28, 2026
by Fattama Alkaysi, Content Specialist, PK–6 In this series of blog posts—The Anatomy of an IM® Math Lesson—we’ll take a closer look at each part of an IM Math lesson and how it contributes to meaningful student learning. After exploring the launch in our first post,...
Anatomy of an IM® Math Lesson: Making the Launch Work for You
Jul 21, 2026
By David Petersen, Specialist, 5–12 Content In this series of blog posts—The Anatomy of an IM® Math Lesson—we’ll take a closer look at each part of an IM Math lesson and how it contributes to meaningful student learning. We begin with the launch: the moment that helps...
How IM Certified® Products and Services Help Districts Build Coherent Mathematics Programs
Jul 9, 2026
By the Illustrative Mathematics team Not long ago, much of the conversation in mathematics education centered on curriculum quality. Today, there is broad agreement that high-quality instructional materials (HQIM) matter. Research has demonstrated their impact, and...
10 Ways to Get Students Up and Moving in Math Class
May 26, 2026
By the Illustrative Mathematics team When we think about math class, it’s easy to picture students sitting at desks, working through problems on paper or screens. But some of the most powerful math learning happens when students are moving, talking, gesturing, and...
From Fragmentation to Coherence: What NYC District 7 Shows About Sustaining Math Improvement
May 18, 2026
By the Illustrative Mathematics team In New York City’s District 7 in the South Bronx, the story of math instruction used to be one of inconsistency. Classrooms looked different from one another. Teachers pieced together lessons from multiple sources. Students moved...
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RECENT POSTS
- Vision First: How East Hartford Public Schools Set the Stage for IM® Math Oct 28, 2026
- The TK Year: Play Is Not the Opposite of Rigor Oct 20, 2026
- A District on the Rise: How Dover School District Strengthened Coherence with IM® 6–8 Math Oct 7, 2026
- The TK Year: What Makes Transitional Kindergarten Unique Sep 30, 2026
- Anatomy of an IM® Math Lesson: The Lesson Narrative as a Roadmap for Understanding Sep 8, 2026
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