The Palmetto Education Summit 2026

Learn how mixing different types of math problems—rather than grouping them by skill—dramatically strengthens students’ retention and problem-solving. In this interactive session, teachers will examine the cognitive science behind interleaving practice, experience classroom-ready examples, and plan lessons that weave new and prior skills together. Leave with practical strategies to help students make connections, think flexibly, and retain essential concepts well beyond the unit test.

What does it take to move evidence-based strategies from professional development into consistent classroom practice? This session highlights a district–research partnership focused on implementing Interleaving Practice Format (IPF) and Worked Solution Strategy (WSS). Participants will explore a three-step model: collaborative professional learning to build understanding, instructional coaching to support lesson design, and follow-up coaching for in-class implementation and refinement. Through classroom examples and planning artifacts, this session demonstrates how districts can move beyond isolated PD to build coherent systems that support teacher learning and improve student outcomes. Attendees will leave with a practical framework for sustaining research-based practices in mathematics instruction.

Have you ever heard the phrase, "I'm just not a math person." If so, this session is for you. Participants will gain insights on how using Concrete-Representational-Abstract (CRA) across all grade levels can create math kids and improve math outcomes. Through CRA, students develop a tactile and visual "anchor" for math concepts that create lasting mental representations that students can use when they encounter difficult abstract problems. In addition, CRA ensures students understand the why behind a procedure before moving to the abstract stage, preventing students from just memorizing steps they don't understand. When students understand the underlying concepts, they are better able to apply mathematical skills to new, real-world situations. Are you ready, let's do some math!