March 5, 2026 8:30 am — 2:00 pm
Welcome to the 59th EIU Conference on Teaching Mathematics!
After a few years' hiatus, we are excited to once again offer this opportunity for professional learning and to connect with colleagues. The program contains several engaging sessions for teachers from elementary to high school that explore ways to support the ideas of numeracy.
Program: the full program will be posted soon
Location: 黑料社区MLK Jr. University Union in Charleston, IL
Registration: $35 (morning coffee and lunch included); free for students (lunch not included)
Click to register!!
Click to register!!
For More Information: Peter Wiles (pswiles@eiu.edu)
Keynote Speaker - Jackie Palmquist
Keynote Speaker - Jackie Palmquist
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Jackie Palmquist is a mathematics educator, author, and coach dedicated to ensuring all students have access to high quality mathematics education and the support needed to succeed. After 30+ years leading the High School Math Department and teaching in Indian Prairie School District 204, Jackie now coaches teachers, designs professional development, and presents at national conferences on building mathematical understanding and confidence for every learner. In addition to presenting at local and national conferences, Jackie has served on the board of NCSM as Professional Learning Director and as President of MMC. She is dedicated to helping develop teachers to impact student learning. Her work focuses on developing numeracy and algebraic thinking across the K-12 continuum. Her current projects include building algebraic reasoning from kindergarten through high school and closing gaps. for students struggling in Algebra through "just-in-time" interventions such as Number Talks and conceptual activities. Jackie believes deeply that all students deserve access to high school Algebra and the instructional support to get there. Jackie is the author of Number Talk resources focused on high school content in Number Sense, Algebra, Geometry, and Statistics & Probability, available at .
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Before the x: Building the Numeracy that Makes Algebra Possible
Algebraic thinking—the ability to generalize, represent, justify, and reason with abstract structures—isn't a destination, it's a journey that begins the moment students encounter mathematical ideas. Early numeracy should be much more than arithmetic; it must include the ability to reason with numbers, interpret data, and recognize patterns in meaningful contexts. In this keynote, we will explore algebraic reasoning as a cohesive thread woven throughout the curriculum starting in pre-kindergarten. Engaging in grade-band problems, we will see how core algebraic ideas connect and progress vertically. Our understanding of the preK-12 progression of numeracy and algebraic reasoning will be expanded by experiencing strategies that build students' foundational understanding of mathematics leading to success in Algebra and beyond.
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