Each year Sacred Hearts Academy hosts the annual Hawaii Council of Teachers of Mathematics (HCTM) conference with help from sponsors Teachers Teaching with Technology and Pacific Islands Mathematical Association of Two-year Colleges. Over 300 teachers from around the island are expected to attend the more than 50 workshops for professional development.

According to HCTM president Scott Powell, the aim of the conference is for teachers to “leave with lessons and ideas that they can use in their classrooms and make connections with colleagues which will help Hawaii’s children meet the challenges of today.”

Fifteen presenters from the mainland will attend, including keynote speaker Dan Meyer of Stanford University, who will address the topic, “Why Students Hate Word Problems.”

The conference will also feature Scott Flansburg, “The Human Calculator,” who will display his lightning-fast mental computation skills while also providing insight and tips on how students and teachers can improve their own speed and accuracy of mental computation.

The day-long conference will consist of 15 speakers and over 50 exhibitors, and includes a gift raffle. The conference hopes to encourage teachers to reflect on their own teaching methodologies and show how to integrate today’s changing technology into their curriculum.