Jun. 02, 2026
In classrooms across the Calgary Board of Education (CBE), math learning emphasizes thinking, problem solving and deep understanding, helping students to make connections and approach challenges with confidence.
Guided by the
CBE Mathematics Framework, teachers are creating learning environments where every student can see themselves as a capable mathematical thinker.
At Twelve Mile Coulee School, Grade 9 students Emily, Zainab and Kavieshi, and their teacher, Nick Moskaluk, offered a glimpse into math learning in action at CBE.
Challenging the “Math Brain" Myth
A persistent myth about math is that some people are naturally “math people," and others simply aren't.
“A common misconception is that success in mathematics is based on speed and memorization," explained Shiroji McDonald, a Specialist for Mathematics at CBE. “Whereas the CBE Mathematics Framework emphasizes that deep understanding develops through reasoning, problem solving, discourse and conceptual understanding."
Moskaluk reframed how students think about difficulty in math:
“It's not hard or easy. It's familiar and unfamiliar."
The belief that math ability is fixed can hold students back. But when classrooms focus on thinking, collaboration and exploration, students begin to see themselves differently.
Kavieshi experienced that shift firsthand.
“I never used to enjoy math. But over time, I realized math isn't that bad. It isn't about memorizing formulas. You're using your mind and your brain to solve equations and problems. I don't think anyone is bad at math. It's their mindset."
What Math Looks Like in Today's Classroom
Walk into a CBE math classroom and you'll see students talking, collaborating and testing ideas, not just sitting quietly solving equations.
“We want kids to be touching math. We want them to be seeing math, not just seeing numbers and word problems to start," said Moskaluk. “When we focus on physical and visual first, we'll see much stronger conceptual understanding, which supports symbolic learning later."
Symbolic learning focuses on numbers, equations and written problems — the approach most people associate with math class.
Emily shared that when she's stuck on a math problem, she'll talk to her peers.
“Usually we're able to work as a group to solve something."
For Emily, that collaboration goes both ways: “I'm proud of myself when I'm able to understand something so well that I can pass my knowledge onto other people."
This approach reflects a key belief in the Mathematics Framework: that students learn best when they can share ideas, explore different strategies and build understanding together.
Making Sense of Math Through Connections and Problem Solving
At the heart of this approach is helping students move beyond memorization to understand how math works and how ideas connect.
“Math is not something you can just read and memorize," Zainab explained. “You have to understand what you're doing and why you're doing it."
Moskaluk added: “Math isn't just, 'We teach you this topic and then move on.' There is a relationship across topics, and to see students make those connections is really incredible."
Students are experiencing this interconnected thinking in real time as they solve problems.
“First, I try to look at all my techniques that I know," Kavieshi shared. “I'll go through past notes and see if it matches the question I'm stuck on, so I can use those techniques to help me."
Redefining What Success in Math Looks Like
Teachers play a critical role in creating classroom cultures where mistakes are valued as part of learning, multiple strategies are celebrated, and mathematical discussions are safe and respectful.
“When students realize mathematics is about reasoning, they begin to see themselves as capable learners," McDonald shared.
That shift is meaningful for students like Zainab.
“I didn't always enjoy math. I thought just because I used to feel stuck with math that I was bad at it, but that's not the case. Just because I didn't have the same pace as my classmates didn't mean that I was bad at it. I just needed time."
The benefits of learning math go far beyond the subject itself, as Moskaluk explained:
“In your everyday life, will you ever need to factor polynomials again? You might not. But going through the process of solving challenging things, things that are unfamiliar, unlocks new ways of thinking to solve problems in other areas of life."
At its core, the message is simple: math is for everyone.
It takes time, persistence and different ways of thinking, but every student can learn, grow and succeed in math.
