Strategies for Creating Meaningful Mathematical Discourse to Foster Student Engagement

Shannon McCaw is the Lead Author of EdGems Math and has been a classroom teacher and math specialist in multiple school districts in Oregon and nationally. Over the past 20 years, Shannon has worked as a math consultant with K-12 math teachers in hundreds of districts around the country. Prior to writing the EdGems Math series, Shannon authored a middle school math series used throughout the Northwest. Shannon’s areas of expertise include the Common Core State Standards, as well as other state standards, curriculum alignment, assessment best practices, and instructional strategies with a focus on engaging students. She has degrees in mathematics and fitness management from George Fox University and a Master of Arts in secondary math education from Colorado College. Shannon has also fostered more than 30 children and is currently the mom to nine children, six of whom are adopted or foster children.

Jessica Reyes is the Director of Curriculum and Learning at EdGems Math, where she leads the design and refinement of EdGems’ national and state mathematics curricula. With extensive experience in math and science education, she specializes in curriculum design, formative assessment, number sense, and inquiry-based learning. Jessica creates research-based materials aligned to state and national standards and supports teachers across the country to facilitate learning using evidence-based, high-leverage instructional practices. Before joining EdGems, she taught upper elementary and middle school in Oregon, designing cross-curricular projects that connected math to science, the arts, and real-world problem solving. She has served as a Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) Leader and completed training through the Oregon Coastal Education Program (OCEP). Jessica holds a BA in education with a focus on middle school math from the University of Portland and an MS in mathematics education from Oregon State University.