In this episode of Room to Grow, Ali Martinez, Chief Program Officer for Math at Student Achievement Partners (SAP), joins Joanie and Curtis for a conversation about the math that matters. In the current era, math teachers face too much content and too little time to feel or be effective in allowing students the chance to learn math deeply.

Aly shared information about SAP’s national initiative to identify essential mathematics content for high school, and to integrate data science competencies. The work builds on COVID-era prioritization efforts and aims to address curriculum overload through systems-level change involving standards revision, instructional materials alignment, and cross-sector collaboration.

The conversation acknowledges and elevates the role of durable skills, the rising importance of data literacy, and the need for systemic change to realize these desired outcomes.

Be sure to check out these resources, referenced in this month’s episode.

• Learn more and stay in touch with Math that Matters resource: https://learnwithsap.org/math-that-matters/
• Durable skills in math https://learnwithsap.org/durableskills/
• High School redesign: https://learnwithsap.org/overlap-to-opportunity/
• Research into high school math textbooks https://learnwithsap.org/math/a-rare-look-inside-high-school-math-textbooks-and-what-publishers-say-needs-to-change/
• Coherence Map from Student Achievement Partners
• Data Science for Everyone website

In this episode, Curtis and Joanie sit down with Mahmoud Harding from Data Science 4 Everyone (www.ds4e.com) to explore the growing role of data science in K-12 education.

Mahmoud breaks down the key distinction between data science and data literacy — two terms that are often used interchangeably but carry very different meanings for educators and students alike.

The conversation dives into why data science matters for all educators right now, regardless of subject area or grade level, and why the time to act is today. And taking action doesn’t mean you need math expertise or to steer away from the standards and curriculum your students need to know!

Mahmoud also shares practical, accessible ways teachers can get started with data-centered lessons in their classrooms — regardless of grade level or content area.

Whether you're a curious educator or ready to dive in, this episode will leave you inspired to bring data to life for your students.

Resources:

● https://www.datascience4everyone.org/about (DS4E Homepage)

● https://www.datascience4everyone.org/resources (DS4E Resources)

● https://ds4e-org.github.io/CPN_rubric/ (DS4E Content Partner Network)

● https://ds4e-org.github.io/technologytoolkit/ (DS4E Technology Tools for working with data)

● https://datasciencelearning.org/ (K12 Data Science Learning Progressions)

● https://datasciencelearning.org/blog/five-basic-concepts-for-teachers-new-to-data-science (DS4E Blog: Five basic concepts for teachers new to data science)

● https://hkurzweil.github.io/ds4e-teacher-pd/frontmatter.html (DS4E Data Science Starter Kit)

Teaching math in 2026 is demanding in ways that are structural, cultural, and relentless — and yet the conversation about teacher sustainability rarely makes space for what math educators are actually carrying. In this episode, Curtis and Joanie get honest about burnout, purpose, and community in the math teaching profession.

Drawing on research from burnout science, teacher identity, and professional resilience, this conversation explores three ideas that don't get discussed enough: why burnout is a systemic signal rather than a personal failure, how math teachers can reconnect with a durable and honest sense of purpose when the hard days start to outnumber the good ones, and why professional community isn't a luxury — it's the infrastructure that makes long, sustainable careers possible.

This episode is for math teachers who are tired but not done. It won't tell you to practice more gratitude or look on the bright side. It will tell you the truth — and give you something useful to do with it.

Books:

● Burnout: The Secret to Unlocking the Stress Cycle by Emily Nagoski & Amelia Nagoskiwww.burnoutbook.net

● The Courage to Teach: Exploring the Inner Landscape of a Teacher's Life by Parker J. Palmerwww.couragerenewal.org/parker/writings/courage-to-teach

● Onward: Cultivating Emotional Resilience in Educators by Elena Aguilarwww.brightmorningteam.com/onward

● Mathematical Mindsets: Unleashing Students' Potential through Creative Math by Jo Boalerwww.youcubed.org/mathematical-mindsets

Organizations & Communities:

● Colorado Council of Teachers of Mathematics (CCTM)www.cctmath.org

● National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM)www.nctm.org