Blocks Math Institute
2s - Kindergarten Pilot Program
If you are interested in piloting the Blocks Math Institute Curriculum, please click the button below to apply.
Overview of the Blocks Math Institute
Many educators develop math lessons centered on unit blocks, especially those where unit blocks are a core part of their classrooms. Until now, no one has collected those lessons to make a fulsome math curriculum that can be used in a wide variety of educational settings. We are making that a reality!
Phase 1 - building the draft curriculum through teacher cohorts
Our central goal in Phase 1 (over the last two years) of the Blocks Math Institute was to bring together educators from a diverse array of schools to share what they already do with math and unit blocks. We also created new lessons and explorations at each meeting. In doing that sharing and creating, along with some facilitation and guidance from the Caroline Pratt Center facilitators, we built drafts of a unit blocks based math curriculum from 2s through kindergarten that dynamically integrates all math concepts with unit block work.
Phase 2 - pilot the draft curriculum, gather feedback and revise
Now we are ready to pilot the draft program for 2s through kindergarten. We aim to engage educators from a wide variety of schools to try out practices from the draft curriculum and provide feedback in a cooperative group environment. The Caroline Pratt Center facilitators will provide guidance at each meeting and will encourage peer collaboration in thinking through activities, trying them out and collecting feedback.
Phase 3 - revision, finalization and publishing
Once phase 1 and 2 are complete, the CPC will revise the curriculum based on teacher feedback, finalize the drafts and move to publish. We plan for this phase to be complete between late summer and winter of 2027.
Participating in the Pilot Program
Those who participate in the Blocks Math Institute Pilot Program will have significant opportunity both to learn about the curriculum and to provide feedback for its revision. There will be an orientation session at the beginning of the school year followed by six sessions during the school year. Each session will provide a mix of support in trying out the curriculum and solicitation of feedback for the areas participants try in their classrooms.
In order to participate, you must be an active teacher in a classrooms where you have the flexibility to try at least one activity/lesson/routine described in the draft curriculum. We encourage participants from all educational settings to apply as we want the final curriculum to be effective in all contexts. A stipend of $500 will be provided for each participant who attends all or most sessions and actively participates in piloting and giving feedback.