Inspiring a Math Culture of Flexibility, Grit, and Belief in Your School: One Rich Task at a Time

Presented by Danielle Legnard, Instructional Math Coach and Professor, Bethel Public Schools (CT); and Jay Meadows, Former Educator, Current CEO, Exemplars

Sponsored by Exemplars

Watch the RecordingListen to the Podcast

Learn more about viewing the live presentation and the recording, earning your CE certificate, and using our new accessibility features.

How can math leaders spark a culture of flexibility, grit, and belief among teachers and students? It starts with a vision, but the true magic happens when that vision comes alive in classrooms every day.

In this edWebinar, we explore how to move from broad goals to daily reality, with specific strategies for partnering with teachers to build classrooms full of incredible mathematical thinkers—students who relish the opportunity to struggle, persevere, reflect, and explore ideas without fear of being wrong.

Danielle Legnard, a former school principal and current college professor turned district math coach, made the bold choice to return to coaching to fuel this cultural shift. Her work is inspiring real change, and she shares the practical moves that are making it happen in this session. A key part of this transformation is helping teachers shift their instincts: to resist rescuing students and instead honor their perseverance, mistakes, and insights.

Join us and learn how a belief in effort, exploration, and growth can transform students into powerful, confident mathematicians—one rich task at a time. This edWebinar is of interest to K-12 teachers, school leaders, and district leaders.

About the Presenters

Danielle Legnard is a Professor at Sacred Heart University, where she teaches pre-service teachers in the Isabelle Farrington College of Education, and a K–3 Instructional Math Coach in Bethel, CT. With over 25 years in education, Danielle has served as a classroom teacher, math and reading specialist, district math coordinator, and elementary school principal. She holds a Master of Arts in elementary education, a sixth-year degree in educational leadership, and an administrator’s certification from Sacred Heart University. Danielle is passionate about developing strong math identities, promoting problem solving, metacognitive thinking, and fostering student agency in math classrooms. Danielle has contributed to the advancement of mathematics education at both local and national levels, serving on numerous committees, leading workshops, and co-authoring publications with a focus on improving math instruction and supporting young learners. Outside of work, she enjoys golfing, launching rockets, and spending time with her family.

Jay Meadows serves as the Chief Executive Officer of Exemplars. With three decades of experience in education, Jay is a former middle school math and science teacher who holds a Master of Arts in Teaching and a second master’s degree in mathematical pedagogy. As one of Exemplars’ primary performance task writers and professional development consultants for the middle level, Jay leads sessions across the United States, helping teachers integrate problem solving, performance tasks, and research-based best practices into their math classrooms. Through Exemplars, Jay aspires to empower a generation of students who can solve any problem they encounter. Before his career in the classroom, Jay coordinated delegations from the former Soviet Union through programs with the U.S. State Department. He has also collaborated with various international non-profits and is a former Peace Corps volunteer who served in Kazakhstan.

Learn more about viewing the live presentation and the recording, earning your CE certificate, and using our new accessibility features.

Join the Building Understanding in Math community to network with educators, participate in online discussions, receive invitations to upcoming edWebinars, and view recordings of previous programs to earn CE certificates.

Exemplars provides performance tasks, rubrics, and student anchor papers for schools and districts in Math and Science. Our performance material engages students and promotes reasoning, critical thinking, communication, and problem solving. Our performance tasks are classroom tested and may be used for assessment, instruction, and professional development. Exemplars’ supplemental resources are research based and designed to meet state and national standards.