The Philosophy of
Diving Deeper
Deep Conceptual Mastery
Enrichment – going deeper into mathematics to provide challenge – is the most effective pathway toward more positive and productive beliefs in mathematics, as well as the deeper reasoning and understanding goals that we have for all of our students.
Acceleration is Not the Answer
Acceleration (skipping grades or skipping grade-level material) often makes students sacrifice rigorous mathematical reasoning in favor of speed, quick computations, and superficial thinking. The most interesting problems – and the most important ones for students to be engaging with – are tough and require time, deep and careful thinking, and often productive struggle and perseverance.
Tasks Students Can Tackle without Direct Instruction
We wrote this book with the idea that any one of these enrichment activities can be picked up, read over, and implemented with individuals or groups of students in mere minutes. The vast majority of the activities require little to no teacher introduction.
The Authors
Ramsey Merritt is the Director of Leadership Development for Reading (MA) Public Schools and a Lecturer in Education at Brandeis University. He has taught and coached mathematics at every level of the U.S. school system, in both public and independent schools from New York to California. Ramsey also runs an education consulting firm, Instructional Success Partners, LLC, which is focused on instructional leadership and has partnered with districts big and small, state departments, and national non-profits. Prior to his career in education, he worked in a variety of roles at the New York Times. Ramsey earned his doctorate in Education Leadership at the Harvard Graduate School of Education.
Jon Star is a Professor of Education at the Harvard Graduate School of Education. He is an educational psychologist who studies children's learning of mathematics in middle and high school, particularly algebra. Star's current research explores the development of flexibility in mathematical problem solving, with flexibility defined as knowledge of multiple strategies for solving mathematics problems and the ability to adaptively choose among known strategies on a particular problem. Star also investigates instructional and curricular interventions that may promote the development of mathematical understanding. In addition, Star is interested in the preservice preparation of middle and secondary mathematics teachers. In addition to his teaching and research responsibilities at Harvard, Star also teaches 5th and 8th grade mathematics at a local middle school.
Contact us:
diving.deeper.math@gmail.com
Fractions Sample Activity
More info coming soon!
Explore Sample Activities
Get a direct look at the deep conceptual tasks that make 'Diving Deeper' a must-have resource for upper elementary mathematicians.
Multiplication Around the World Sample Activity
More info coming soon!
Expanding the Series
The Diving Deeper journey doesn't end here. We are currently
developing versions for 6th & 7th Grade and Algebra I. Stay tuned!
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Testimonials
“This book contains a treasure trove of tasks for teachers to use to enrich students’ mathematics learning! Organized by grade level, teachers can find a range of engaging tasks that will support their students. As I worked through these tasks as a reader, I found myself making new mathematical connections myself. I encourage mathematics educators to read this book to enrich their own mathematics knowledge for teaching, too!”
— Dr. Amanda Jansen, Ph.D., University of Delaware, Author of Rough Draft Math: Revising to Learn
“This book takes the guesswork out of supporting high-achieving students. It keeps them anchored in the class’s core teaching points while offering opportunities to explore content more deeply and meaningfully. The tasks are developmentally appropriate and thoughtfully designed, making it an excellent resource for teachers looking to challenge students without simply accelerating them to the next grade level.”
— Ava Gilani, Ed.D., Director of Curriculum and Instruction, UCLA
“Finally, we have a book for our stronger students to be able to deepen their conceptual understanding of grade level mathematics. No longer do we have to put them in front of a computer and practice boring math! This book will be a must-have for all teachers!”
— Matthew Beyranevand, Ed.D., Lecturer at UMass Lowell, Author, and Consultant
“This book is a wonderful and much-needed tool for supporting elementary teachers’ differentiation efforts in math. Merritt and Star have pulled together a mathematically rich and interesting set of tasks that will challenge high-achieving students. I’d like to see this book on the shelves of upper elementary math teachers everywhere!”
— Heather Hill, Ph.D., Hazen-Nicoli Professor in Teacher Learning and Practice, Harvard Graduate School of Education