Joanna Hayman

Poster for the Cal-TASH 2026 Conference. At the top is the Cal-TASH logo with the tagline “Building Bridges, Breaking Barriers.” Below is a colorful, graphic illustration of Sacramento featuring the Tower Bridge over a river, the State Capitol dome, buildings, trees, and clouds. Text at the bottom reads “February 27–28, 2026, Sacramento, California.”

I'm so excited to present at Cal-TASH for the first time! Can't wait to be in the company of so many disability justice advocates. I'm especially excited for the Crip Camp watch party and closing keynote!! I would love to connect with anyone else who will be there!

Amazing. I want to hear more about it

That's all I've got for you tonight, #ElemMathChat! Thanks so much for engaging with me! And thank you so much @mnmmath.bsky.social for this opportunity! ❤️❤️❤️

That's amazing! What do you think it is about your room vs others that draws kids in?

A8: Every classroom would look different because every classroom is serving different people. The room would be truly reflective of the students in it, in all possible ways. #ElemMathChat

Imagine how great the data collection could be if we took down the TRUE artifacts! Notating kids' ideas, measuring the noise in the room, how long students engaged with a task, how many smiles on faces

Q8: What would classrooms look like if we fully lived the belief that math belongs to everyone?

#ElemMathChat

Yes! General education needs to be on the same page too!

deserve the right to joyful, challenging math and also deserve the right to come at mathematical ideas through their own strategies #ElemMathChat

A7: Sometimes students with disabilities really exist on the margins of math class, pulled out and given cold, clinical worksheets to help "fill gaps" instead of being allowed to do rich meaningful tasks. Viewing math as a human right would mean understanding that students with disabilities ALSO

I love notice and wonder so much! Such a powerful (and fun) way to invite in multiple ways to think about the same thing

Q7: How might framing meaningful math as a human right change the way schools and districts support students with disabilities?

#ElemMathChat

A6: Open ended tasks that invite multiple strategies and perspectives. Engaging students authentically in each other's ideas. Honoring and valuing a wide variety of participation. Validating and celebrating student thinking! #ElemMathChat

Yes!!! I love thinking about humanizing math as the math OF the students not math FOR the students

The classroom community is such a key piece of belonging! ❤️

Q6: What classroom practices affirm math as a human right for students who have been historically marginalized or excluded?

#ElemMathChat

A5: Math belonging means all students are celebrated and highlighted for their brilliance, which first means that we as teachers take the time to ensure we are looking at all students in ways that lets their understanding show. We can't be looking for the wrong things! #ElemMathChat

Q5: How do we move from “giving access” to ensuring belonging in math for every student?

#ElemMathChat

Cold, hard, unappealing FOR SURE!

A4: Systemic denial of students' human right to math might look like not allowing students to engage in math that matters or that is joyful. Rote memorization as a students' sole math engagement. Math that doesn't build or connect. And it's our responsibility to push back #ElemMathChat

Q4: If we believe math is a human right, what responsibilities does that place on us as educators? What does it look like when students with disabilities are systematically denied access to this right?

#ElemMathChat

I agree, Alex! I think being able to use math in ways that matter to us is so important

A3: To me, meaningful math is math that students can see as connected and generative- math that helps them understand relationships and bigger mathematical concepts in ways that have come from THEM not US #ElemMathCHat

Q3: How do you define meaningful mathematics in your own classroom or practice?

#ElemMathChat

Yes! Witnessing the beauty of math! That's the perfect way to put it

A2: I think doing math is one of the most human endeavors there is. And I don't mean carrying the 1! I mean the math that we engage in on a daily basis, that is magical and can be so joyful. I think being able to see that math is magical and joyful is a human right that we all deserve #ElemMathChat

We're happy to have you anytime!

Q2: When you hear the phrase “math as a human right”, what does that mean to you as an educator?

#ElemMathChat

hooray for all of this!

A1. I value freedom and joy. I think my students would say they value choice, autonomy, and the chance to collaborate #ElemMathChat