Theresa Spencer, Curriculum Coordinator for the SCDSB, gathers with Junior Kindergarten to Grade 3 teachers twice monthly to practice new strategies for mathematics instruction. These strategies allow students to develop important math skills with a solid understanding of concepts. The learning activities improve the teachers’ effectiveness by planning around “big ideas” rather than isolated skills. The focus of this workshop centred around the value of literature connections, use of math manipulatives, and making home connections. “This is just the beginning,” says Spencer, “This professional development has huge implications on the excellence of instructional decisions being made in the classroom.”