The Teaching Equitable and Ambitious Mathematics (TEAM) Center is a collaborative research center established by CPM Educational Program and Boston University Wheelock College of Education & Human Development.
Mathematics education today faces a persistent challenge. We know far more than ever about how students learn mathematics deeply and equitably. Yet classrooms that consistently support this kind of learning remain too rare. TEAM was created to better understand how equitable and ambitious mathematics instruction can be created and sustained while helping schools create the conditions in which this kind of teaching can flourish.
Our values are reflected in our logo and name.
The TEAM logo tells the story of what we believe about mathematics teaching and learning. The symbol that resembles an upside-down A is the mathematical symbol ∀, meaning “for all.” The yellow ∈ is the mathematical symbol meaning “is an element of” or “belongs to.” Together, they represent our commitment to mathematics classrooms where rich mathematical learning is for all students and where every student experiences themselves as belonging within the broader mathematical community.
For TEAM, equity is not about applying a single instructional approach in every classroom. We recognize that there is no one-size-fits-all best practice. Equitable and ambitious mathematics instruction requires teachers to know their students well, to build on their cultural, linguistic, and experiential assets, and to create learning environments where every student has opportunities to engage in meaningful problem solving, reasoning, communication, and collaboration.
Finally, our acronym is another reflection of our values. TEAM is a partnership between Boston University Wheelock College of Education and Human Development and CPM Educational Program, reflecting our belief that advancing mathematics education is collaborative work. It also reflects our vision of equitable and ambitious mathematics classrooms, where students learn together through discussion and problem solving in study teams. Just as the Center depends on collaboration among researchers, teachers, curriculum designers, and schools, we believe students develop deeper mathematical understanding by learning as members of a mathematical community.
A Sustainable Partnership
TEAM brings together CPM’s national reach and expertise in curriculum and instruction with BU Wheelock’s research capacity, mathematics teacher education programs, and regional partnerships to create a sustainable model for advancing equitable and ambitious mathematics teaching. Together, CPM and BU model what it looks like for curriculum, research, and teacher learning to mutually inform one another in a powerful and sustainable way.
Our work is organized around four interconnected activities: research, professional learning, community building, and documentation and dissemination. Through close partnerships with schools, TEAM studies equitable and ambitious mathematics instruction as it develops in authentic classrooms. We document and study classroom practice, translate what we learn into professional learning, and share examples that demonstrate what equitable and ambitious mathematics instruction looks like across diverse contexts. In doing so, TEAM seeks to build both the knowledge and the professional community needed to create and sustain equitable and ambitious mathematics teaching.