Big Ideas in Early Childhood Mathematics, Professional Learning Sessions

In-person sessions at the Hanahau‘oli Professional Development Center on O'ahu: Wednesday, June 18-Friday, June 20, 2025, 9:00 am - 3:00 pm

Online follow-up sessions: Saturday, September 27 & December 6, 2025, 9:00-11:30 am

Cost: Free – Participants will be paid a $400 stipend to participate, and educators from neighbor islands will receive an additional $600 travel stipend!

The Hanahau‘oli School Professional Development Center is pleased to announce a new locally developed Mathematics workshop series for early childhood educators! Big Ideas in Early Childhood Mathematics is designed for teachers across the state of Hawai‘i who work with children in preschool through grade 2, and will take place over the course of three face-to-face meetings in June 2025, and two online follow up sessions in Fall 2025.

Led by distinguished researchers and educators from the Curriculum Research & Development Group at the University of Hawai‘i, this workshop will employ research driven, progressive approaches to developing mathematical thinking skills. Number and counting concepts depend on five big ideas in early mathematics:

Equality and the equal sign
Properties of number and operations
The concept of a variable as a specific unknown
The ability to generalize
The ability to think flexibly

Research demonstrates that these fundamental concepts of quantitative relationships are best understood by young learners through measurement activities. During the three face-to-face workshop sessions, participants will engage in hands-on learning experiences for teaching foundational concepts through measurement-centered activities. Participants will have time to grapple with the mathematics themselves, discuss effective pedagogy, practice new skills, and plan for implementing concepts and instructional approaches within their teaching contexts using provided materials. Teachers will leave the summer in-person workshop sessions ready to implement lessons with their own students in the fall. Participants will then reconvene in September and December via two virtual follow-up sessions to discuss their implementation of the lessons, reflect on their teaching and student learning, and further develop their teaching practices.

Thanks to a generous grant by the Samuel N. & Mary Castle Foundation, participants will be paid a $400 stipend to participate, and educators from neighbor islands will receive an additional $600 travel stipend to cover air, hotel, and ground transportation for the meetings. Participants must be present at all face-to-face and virtual meetings and complete required assignments to receive stipends upon completion of the program. We are seeking to have representation across the Hawaiian islands and acceptance will be offered on a first-come-first served basis after geographic location is considered. A total of 25 participants will be accepted into the program, with 10 spaces reserved for neighbor island educators.

Don’t miss this unique paid opportunity to learn effective and dynamic ways to develop confident, engaged mathematical thinkers!

WORKSHOP OBJECTIVES

Participants will be able to:

Identify and define progressive and innovative approaches to early childhood mathematics teaching and learning.
Experience and apply mathematics teaching and learning strategies to their particular teaching contexts.
Design one or more early childhood mathematics lessons that meet the needs of students in their particular teaching context.
Implement mathematics lessons in their particular teaching context and use technology to document student growth.
Reflect on early childhood mathematics lesson implementation in a professional community of inquiry.

ABOUT THE FACILITATORS

Seanyelle Yagi is an associate professor in the School of Teacher Education at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa. She has over 20 years’ experience in teaching mathematics at the elementary and middle school levels and as a mathematics coach and mathematics resource teacher in the Hawaii Department of Education. She has provided professional learning sessions for teachers in a range of contexts, including those who teach mathematics in preschool through high school. Currently she teaches mathematics methods to preservice teachers at the undergraduate and graduate levels, and serves as a cohort coordinator, and field supervisor. Dr. Yagiʻs focus is on supporting teachers in providing meaningful learning experiences in mathematics for elementary students.

Linda Venenciano has been appointed the Interim Director of SLT. Dr. Venenciano is a professor in the School of Learning and Teaching within the College of Education. She joined the faculty in 2022 as a professor and program coordinator. Prior to being hired at Pacific, Dr. Venenciano served as a professor of mathematics education and the interim director at the Curriculum Research & Development Group at the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa. Dr. Venenciano has taught students from first grade through undergraduate levels and delivered numerous professional development workshops, both locally and nationally. Dr. Venenciano currently serves on the editorial board of Investigations in Mathematics Learning and conducts research on equity, identity, and a sense of belonging in the mathematics education community.

This workshop introduces educators to the transformative potential of AI in teaching students aged 9–13, a group often underserved in AI literacy despite growing up in a rapidly evolving technological landscape. Through an engaging, hands-on approach, participants will gain a foundational understanding of AI concepts and tools that align with progressive education goals while addressing the unique needs of upper elementary and middle school learners.

The workshop is led by Summer Kim, former Head of Research at tech companies such as Google, WhatsApp, and Roblox, and currently an AI and Product Industry Expert. Summer brings her deep industry experience and recent work in applying emergent AI innovations to education, providing educators with both practical tools and forward-looking strategies. In a recent initiative, Summer worked with 4th and 5th-grade students to explore how AI can spark creativity, develop entrepreneurial ideas, and improve reading and comprehension skills—an experience that shapes her unique approach to empowering educators.

Educators will explore practical strategies for integrating AI into their classrooms, focusing on ways to foster critical thinking, creativity, and meaningful engagement among students. Through collaborative activities, participants will design and discuss AI-enhanced learning experiences, gaining insights into how AI tools can amplify teaching effectiveness.

Additionally, the workshop provides a collaborative space for educators to reflect on the ethical and philosophical dimensions of teaching with AI. Discussions will cover topics such as equity, accessibility, and data privacy, empowering participants to confidently innovate while aligning AI integration with their educational values and goals.

This workshop is specifically tailored for educators working with upper elementary and middle school students (Grades 4–8). It is ideal for teachers across all disciplines, including language arts, STEM, social studies, general education, and creative subjects, who are interested in exploring innovative and practical ways to incorporate AI into their teaching.

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