1st Edition
The Inquiry Math Classroom Growing Confidence and Building Equity in K-8 Settings
Preface: Beginning the Journey Toward Confidence Driven Mathematics Learning
Introduction
Chapter 1 - Collaboration: Cultivating Conditions for Equitable and Confidence Driven Mathematical Collaboration
Chapter 2 - Creativity: Invitations to Think Creatively and Restoring Intrinsic Motivation
Chapter 3 - Curiosity: Igniting the Process of Learning Without Prescribing a Product
Chapter 4 - Concepts: Building Enduring Understanding Through Process-Driven and Concept-First Learning
Chapter 5 - Metacognition: Somewhere Between the Spark and the System
Chapter 6 - Communication: The Mirror We Hold and the Identities We Reflect in The Inquiry Math Classroom
Conclusion: Somewhere We Begin Again
Biography
William Polan is a Math Instructional Coach and Fifth Grade Teacher at Panyaden International School, Thailand. He brings a wealth of experience from international schools, where he has served in roles such as International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme (PYP) teacher, PYP Coordinator, Mathematics Curriculum Leader, Key Stage Coordinator, and Director of Studies.
“Intentionality is both a mindset and a core move within an inquiry approach to teaching and learning, yet sustaining it can be difficult within the cadence of ‘getting through’ curriculum. In The Inquiry Math Classroom, William Polan offers educators a thoughtful pathway for planning and navigating mathematics learning with care and purpose. Throughout the book, readers are invited to slow down, notice more, and design experiences that honor the process of meaning-making. The result is a classroom where students develop ownership of their learning, a deeper understanding of themselves as thinkers, and mathematical skills that extend well beyond the lesson itself. This is the kind of book that reminds us that mathematics is not something students simply get through, it is something they learn to think within.”
Jessica Vance, author of Leading with Inquiry and Evidence of Inquiry
“Honest, practical, and grounded in real classroom experience, The Inquiry Math Classroom meets educators wherever they are on their journey. It challenges familiar structures without dismissing them and offers a thoughtful path toward classrooms where every student can think, take risks, and grow.”
James Myklebust-Hampshire, Founder of Sembl
“The Inquiry Math Classroom shows how curiosity and collaboration can transform math instruction from ‘doing problems’ to meaningful learning. By positioning students as contributors, it helps teachers create classrooms where learners build confidence, make sense of grade-level content, and genuinely see themselves as capable mathematical thinkers. Relatable and practical read written by a teacher just like you!”
Pam Brett, Math Education Specialist at Blue Glasses Math and Executive Coordinator of Teacher Outreach for the Association of Mathematics Teachers of New Jersey
