Champlain Valley Educator Development Center (CVEDC-ESA)

Bridge the Gap Part 2: Planning and Pedagogy with the Brain in Mind

Who Should Attend?

Classroom Teachers, Interventionists, Special Educators, and Coaches

At a Glance

Bridge the Gap Part 2: Planning and Pedagogy with the Brain in Mind is a 2 day mini series thattakes off where Part 1 ended: how can we design small group or 1:1 instruction for students with math difficulties and/or disabilities? How can we bridge the gap between readiness-level and grade-level?

With a similar professional learning format to Part 1, participants can anticipate a deeper dive into effect-size-driven pedagogies specifically grounded in brain-based research and then experience a “fish-bowl” style modeling of practices-in-action with specific content.

Part 2 NEW explorations will include:

• Working through the “Shut down:” How can I adjust my approach for math-averse or math-phobic students? What can we learn from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy that will gradually shift students from avoidance to engagement?
• Making it “Stick:” What are the pedagogies that research says support long-term retention? How can I tweak my plans to ensure content is not later forgotten?
• “A Scaffold or a Crutch?”: What scaffolding does research say supports learning and independence within the Tier I setting? How can accommodations and appropriate tools promote independence?
• Getting past “I don’t get it:” What research-driven practices enhance problem solving strategies and perseverance in story-based contexts.
• Lost and Found: Why are some students seemingly lost in a sea of numbers (be it whole numbers, fractions, or decimals)? What does research say anchors a more robust number sense for students with math disabilities/difficulties?

Like Part I, each session will be grounded in tangible strategies for implementing rapid cycles of targeted instruction. Teachers will leave with explicit routines that ultimately close the gap from “readiness” to “grade-level.”

Objectives

By the end of this workshop, participants will be able to:

✅ Articulate a deeper understanding of the specific underpinnings behind math difficulties and disabilities (brain-based research)

✅ Understand Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and utilize strategies relating to math anxiety and avoidance

✅ Consolidate a bank of scaffolds based in Cognitive Load Reduction Theory and determine when to implement them

✅ Structure learning cycles around core principles and practices for learning retention

Date and Time: November 17th, 2026 and December 8th, 2026 9am-3:30pm

Location: The Delta Hotel, includes a light breakfast and lunch.