Math Struggle Is Often Misunderstood. That Matters.
Here, student strengths come first.
Instruction follows how the brain learns.
Teachers don't need more strategies.
They need clearer understanding.
Dyscalculia Demystified offers a way to make sense of math struggle. Moving beyond lists of strategies and interventions, the book helps teachers recognize patterns in student thinking and use that understanding to make purposeful instructional decisions. The result is clearer decisions in the classroom without lowering expectations.
Featured Conversations
Teachers Join Forces to Understand Dyscalculia, a Math-Related Learning Disorder
Jo Napolitano
2025
Interviewed about identifying learning differences in the classroom.
Unlocking Potential: Innovative Teaching Strategies for Students Who Struggle With Math
Jon Harper
2025
Panel guest for a discussion about recognizing dyscalculia and what teachers can do differently.
Recent Publications
Shining a Light on Dyscalculia
Dawn Pagliaro-Newman
Edutopia
2024
A teacher-focused introduction to understanding and supporting students with dyscalculia.
What Does It Mean to Be Good at Math?
Dawn Pagliaro-Newman
Edutopia
2025
Challenging traditional ideas of math ability and supporting all students as mathematicians.
About
I am an elementary educator with over 20 years of experience in New York City Public Schools, where my work is grounded in daily classroom practice with students who experience math differently. I am a New York State Master Teacher Fellow and a two-time recipient of the Math for America Master Teacher Fellowship.
My teaching, writing, and speaking focus on understanding how students make sense of mathematics, particularly when learning differences create persistent challenges. Informed by my work with students, families, and colleagues, I speak locally and nationally about instructional approaches that are evidence-based, practical, and responsive to real classroom constraints.
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