Youngstown State University, in partnership with the Trumbull County Educational Service Center and the Educational Service Center of Eastern Ohio, will host a professional development workshop for middle and high school math teachers on Wednesday, September 24.

The workshop, Engaging Students in Productive Math Struggle, will be led by Kevin Dykema, Past President of the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) and co-author of Productive Math Struggle. Nearly 70 teachers from across the region have registered to attend.

Dykema’s session will focus on strategies for creating classroom environments that encourage rich mathematical tasks, student perseverance, and deeper problem-solving. Educators will explore how to design lessons that challenge students productively, support them through the struggle, and celebrate their progress.

Workshop goals include:

• Identifying foundational elements for student engagement in productive math struggle.
• Learning how to adapt problems and tasks to promote deeper thinking.
• Discussing strategies to support students as they work through challenges.
• Increasing meaningful communication in the math classroom.

“This workshop is an incredible opportunity for local educators to learn directly from one of the nation’s leading voices in mathematics education,” said Thomas Wakefield, professor and chair of the department of Mathematics and Statistics. “We are proud to provide professional development that helps teachers strengthen student learning in math classrooms across our region.”