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«Back to all edWebinarsStructuring Independent Math Work to Protect Time for Small Groups
Monday, August 10, 2026 @ 1:00 pm - 2:00 pm EDT
Presented by Ashley Marlow, Former Educator, Current Elementary Math Coach and Director of Operations, All Learners Network; and Chris Singleton, Former Educator, Current Chief Learning Officer, All Learners Network
Sponsored by All Learners Network
Learn more about earning a CE certificate and our accessibility features.
Every math teacher faces the same start-of-year questions: What do I do with students who finish early? How do I free up time for the students who need extra support? How do I meet the needs of both struggling and advanced learners in the same class period?
This edWebinar gives educators a practical, research-aligned approach to structuring independent math work so that small-group instruction time is protected and purposeful. The focus stays on keeping instruction anchored to high-leverage math concepts, so independent work reinforces real learning goals, freeing the teacher to run focused, targeted small groups.
Attendees will learn what separates purposeful, teacher-monitored independent work from rotating centers or unstructured choice time and why that distinction matters for both engagement and learning outcomes. The session covers four categories of independent work that support differentiation:
- Skills practice paired with ongoing progress monitoring
- Math games organized to build reasoning across developmental stages, from early number sense through middle school
- Rich, open-ended, problem-solving tasks
- Reflection routines that deepen understanding
Attendees will leave with a sample 6–8-week sequence for introducing these routines gradually, practical strategies for managing work locations, partners, and materials, and a concrete plan for launching independent work structures that support, rather than compete with, small-group instruction and are sustainable throughout the school year. This edWebinar will be of interest to PreK-8 teachers, school leaders, and district leaders.
About the Presenters
Ashley Marlow, M.S.Ed., is an elementary math coach, a consultant, and the Director of Operations for All Learners Network. She has 15 years of experience in teaching and coaching and is passionate about supporting teachers in creating equitable learning opportunities in math. She is the co-author of Universal Design for Learning in Mathematics Instruction, K-5. Ashley plans professional learning opportunities focusing on instructional routines in mathematics that support belonging, engagement, and access to rigorous, grade-level content for all students.
Chris Singleton is the Chief Learning Officer and a Facilitator for the All Learners Network. She has 23 years’ experience teaching in Vermont schools, as a primary grades teacher specializing in math, a math interventionist, and then a math coach. She has over 20 years of experience facilitating math professional development with a focus on both math content and improving pedagogy with teachers in grades K-8. She is a 2008 graduate of the Vermont Mathematics Initiative. When Chris is not working to improve mathematics instruction for all students, she can be found enjoying the outdoors, hiking, biking, running, or skiing with friends and family.
Learn more about earning a CE certificate and our accessibility features.
Join the Building Understanding in Mathematics community to network with educators, participate in online discussions, receive invitations to upcoming edWebinars, and view recordings of previous programs to earn CE certificates.
All Learners Network was founded on the premise that everyone can be successful with math regardless of ability or circumstance. We have found, in our practice with hundreds of teachers and thousands of students, that every single child can be successful if effective pedagogy is used. Our professional development offerings are designed to help teachers make the journey from hoping all children—children living in poverty, children of color, multilingual children, and children with IEPs— can learn, to fully believing that any child can learn math. Our motto is: All means all. Our mission, energy, and expertise are devoted to helping teachers support their students to achieve math success and access to all the opportunities that come with it.
