CPM Educational Program is a California nonprofit 501(c)(3) corporation dedicated to improving grades 6-12 mathematics instruction.

CPM’s mission is to empower mathematics students and teachers through an exemplary curriculum, professional development, and leadership. We recognize and foster teacher expertise and leadership in mathematics education. We engage all students in learning mathematics through problem solving, reasoning, and communication.     

CPM envisions the world where mathematics is viewed as intriguing and useful and is appreciated by all; where powerful mathematical thinking is an essential, universal, and desirable trait; and where people are empowered by mathematical problem-solving and reasoning to solve the world’s problems.

CPM Philosophy Statement:

Some might say that in a perfect world, no one would struggle with mathematics. We disagree! In a perfect world, everyone enjoys a good struggle, realizing that with struggle comes learning as well a sense of accomplishment and pride. Mathematics should not frustrate anyone to the point of giving up, but beckon the learner with the challenge of a potential solution to a difficult problem.

We believe the beauty of mathematics should be visible and enjoyed by all. We understand that some people may not see the beauty yet, and might need guidance to gain the appreciation for mathematics we want everyone to have. Mathematics has the capacity to mesmerize and dazzle with its dance between complexity and simplicity. We believe everyone should delight in this dance.  

Mathematics is not just a “pretty face” however! Mathematics is useful. It is the language of the sciences and of life. From the mathematical modeling of the growth of a colony of bacteria to the mathematics that explains the physics of an airplane’s flight, math permeates our lives. The landscaper who needs to know the amount of mulch to cover the garden spaces and the school cafeteria chef who needs to calculate a recipe for 400 students, both use mathematics to be successful. Daily, people use the power of mathematics to explain, explore, conjecture, test, and prove. The uses of mathematics are boundless.

CPM’s goal is to ensure that every student experiences both the beauty and the utility of mathematics. First and foremost, we strive to improve mathematics learning in classrooms everywhere. We do this with curriculum, which is engaging and thought provoking. We want mathematics classrooms from sixth grade through calculus, to come alive and be memorable for students. We push students to ask questions to make connections and deepen their conceptual understanding in addition to improving their skill base. With this increased understanding, the students can realize that the mathematics truly makes sense. To further help students meet the challenge of understanding and struggling with mathematics, we support and empower the students’ teachers through professional development.

CPM’s free professional development is designed to model for the teachers what we want students to experience in math classrooms; therefore, the teachers are engaged in rich problems and are encouraged to ask questions to deepen their own understanding, and to contemplate the learning process in mathematically rich classrooms. They are being pushed to new levels of insight and craftsmanship, all while enjoying the process. These teachers are excited when they make the mathematics come alive for students and, as a result, their expectations for student learning increase once they see what the students can do if challenged and supported. Teachers become invigorated by CPM’s workshops.

In a perfect world, every student would have the opportunity to learn math by being engaged and challenged. We are working to make this possible: More math for more students! CPM does not aspire to be the biggest publisher, but we do believe we are among the few who truly put student learning first.

CPM Guiding Principles

• Students learn ideas more permanently when they are required to engage and re-engage with the ideas for months or even years

• Students learn and retain math concepts more deeply when they are grounded in problems, often from the real world

• Student learns ideas more deeply when supported by established, effective study teams

• Students will engage in learning in study teams that are guided, supported and summarized by a reflective, knowledgeable teacher

• When students and stakeholders embrace a growth mindset, they understand that mastery takes time, effort and support

• Assessing what students understand requires more than one method and more than one opportunity

Resources

http://cpm.org/about-cpm/

Core Connections Program Description: