Virginia Council for Mathematics Supervision

James Burnett

What’s Important in Math Today?

The primary purpose of the school system has always been to prepare students for society. But with society changing more rapidly than ever before, it seems our students are being prepared for yesteryear’s economy. This session will reflect on recent decades to see how the mathematics curriculum prepared students for the society of the day. In doing so, it will provide a rationale for expanding the focus of classroom mathematics to include the thinking skills that students now need in order to engage effectively in today's (and tomorrow's) world. Additionally, participants will discover how to stimulate thinking and reasoning skills through language and discourse and by building a solid foundation of conceptual understanding.

Biography

James Burnett is the cofounder and president of ORIGO Education. He is passionate about education and is continually striving to mathematics meaningful, enjoyable and accessible by all students. He has authored and co-authored more than 300 mathematics resources for teachers and students and regularly speaks to audiences across Australia and North America.

As president, James aims to lift the profile of mathematics through dynamic professional learning and the development of innovative print and digital resources for the classroom. His achievements have been recognized with awards such as the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award; the 2017 Elementary Publisher of the Year Award (Australia); and Learning Magazine’s 2018 Teacher’s Choice award for Stepping Stones 2.0.