Robin will empower and motivate teachers, students, administrators and/or families with workshops about Math and success.
Workshops can be adapted for online or hybrid format.

Below are popular sessions she has presented to many audiences — she can tailor the talk to the participants and will help teachers, parents and students learn and enjoy Math. Robin is an approved NYCDOE vendor and CTLE provider. She is an invited speaker to many conferences and has been a provider to the Rutgers University Professional Development series for over 10 years.

Algebra I in Middle School?
Are your students taking Algebra I in middle school? Does it count as one year of high school math? Will it put students on track for calculus or will students end math after tenth grade? We will share about this increasingly popular phenomenon and explore ideas and tools to maximize learning for middle schoolers.

When Are We Ever Gonna Use This Math?
Math broadens career choice and helps students embrace reasoning and problem-solving skills while building confidence and persistence. While many will not major in science or engineering, all students benefit from the challenge and discipline of Math including attending to precision and strengthening logic and persistence as well as improving their mindset – assets in high school, college and the workplace. This perspective can help parents and teachers lead their children and students through the process of learning and enjoying Math.

Get Smarter! Take the SAT/ACT
Our culture has normalized a physical feat like a marathon but so far not a cognitive challenge like the SAT. Connect with your students and work out your brain by taking the SAT or ACT. I took the SAT again in May 2019 adding to the new SAT in May 2016 and other test opportunities — ACT (2012), SAT II Levels I and II in Math (2011),“old” SAT (2009) and “ancient” SAT(1980).
These experiences help me to relive studying and test taking, fill in gaps and relate better to students’ experiences. Studying for the ACT/SAT helps students learn content they need to successfully complete high school and/or avoid remediation. We will also discuss and profile examples of the SAT/ACT Math and show how improvement on these exams can help students (and adults alike) gain a new outlook and self-identity.

Brain Pilates
You have to exercise your brain like you exercise your body. As you get older, you do the same thing with your brain all the time. Beyond the everyday Math in the grocery or in the bank, doing brain puzzles keeps our minds fit and limber. Using different parts of your brain is like taking a yoga class or doing a triathlon. In this workshop, we will enjoy the process of problem solving so you can flex your most important muscle.

Students Checking Their Math (Without a Calculator!)
While tech has its place, encouraging students to self-assess using their noodle increases metacognition while promoting numeracy and independence for all. This can be for many grade levels: Estimation, Casting Out Nines, Multiple Representations, Divisibility Rules, and Last Digit. At the high school level, we will add log tables and profile the SAT’s non-calculator section.

Is That Your Final Answer? Developing Mathematical Thinking with Questions
Asking questions such as “Is that your final answer?”, “How do you know?” and “Easy, Medium, Hard?” encourages students to increase their self-awareness along with their math confidence, performance, and comprehension.

Ten Ways to Build Math Confidence
Building Math confidence promotes the learning and enjoyment of Math. In this session, we will share 10 easy implementable ideas to boost Math knowledge, thinking and confidence including: mental Math tricks, how to value learning more than grades and why the SAT is like a marathon. Email Robin at robinthemathlady@gmail.com to custom tailor this workshop for your audience!

Improving Math Skills and Confidence by Paying Attention to Detail
Students can refine their thinking and improve their mindset by carefully focusing on the details of the question and being fully present and in the moment. Multiple choice exams like state tests, Regents and SAT/ACT provide learning opportunities through the compare/contrast of the possible answers. Studying these multiple choice options and identifying potential errors leads to deeper comprehension, higher confidence and better grades while improving problem-solving skills. Participants will receive a collection of excellent questions with ‘learning opportunities’.

Ideas for Math class on Twitter: Sharing, Exchanging or Lurking
Twitter is a great place for Math educators to find tasks, routines and camaraderie. In this workshop, we will visit the #mtbos (Math Twitter BlogOSphere), #elemmathchat, #observeme, #iteachmath and other Twitter hashtags and people for inspiration and motivation for both teachers and students!

Everyone Math-ing: Promoting Grade Level Math Content for All!
Keeping students as close to grade level as possible helps build confidence and skills plus readiness for next year’s content. Accessible CCSS Math items will be shared on paper and online for teachers to bring back to their classrooms. (Grade level 5 – Algebra I)

Raising Math Confident Kids
As a parent herself, Robin understands how to get through homework and create learning opportunities. Helping kids with Math goes beyond the Math content as attitude and motivation are key success factors and building blocks for Math learning and teaching. This interactive workshop will focus on how we can inspire and encourage our children to take risks in Math so they can enjoy the knowledge and skills that Math has to offer.

Access & Equity: Common Core Algebra I Regents: Get the Math and Get the Points!
All students need a Math Regents to graduate high school in New York State and benefit from mixed Regents problems practice to improve their knowledge, confidence and performance on the new, more challenging Common Core Algebra I (and Geo) exams. We will discuss building compare/contrast skills, increasing TI-83/4 knowhow and boosting persistence. In this session, we will promote teaching/learning strategies that enhance learning and promote access and equity. (Other exams can be used for this workshop including the SAT, PARCC, ACCUPLACER or ASVAB).

Creating Flow Opportunities by Varying Instruction
Adding modules or activities as needed improves classroom management and learning. These can include high tech activities like Kahoot or Khan Academy or low tech like Vertical Non Permanent Surfaces or Blind Voting. While teachers may have specific lesson plan requirements from their school or district, having additional ideas can help create flow in the classroom and enrich the environment for instructors and students.

Anchors: Lead by Example rather than Formula
Offering an example helps students better understand content while applying their knowledge and skills and boosting their confidence and enjoyment of Math. For example, when students know and understand 12 divided by 1/2, they can apply that to other division with fractions problems. This allows and encourages understanding rather than memorization.

Managing Time for Success and Confidence
Using productivity and organizational tools to set goals and keep track of progress, students, parents, entrepreneurs and workers can boost productivity and performance while leaving time for other important activities including down time.

Engineering Your Future
Prof. Schwartz has designed a workshop for students who are considering engineering as a career and highlights not only the strong critical thinking foundation that engineering school builds (and the dynamic job opportunities) but the payoff of working hard and getting used to making mistakes. Employers (including financial services firms and departments) hire engineers for their Math and technical abilities including persistence, humility, teamwork and frustration tolerance. This enables people to optimize their potential and gain financial independence.

More information can be found on the Events page

Robin frequently presents at conferences including How to Make Math Count, NCTM Regionals, AMTNYS, AMTNJ, Precalculus and More, Ten County Math, New York City Math Project among others. I also address potential engineering students at Manhattan College and give success workshops to students at the College of Mount Saint Vincent.