We help teachers make math meaningful, not memorized. Every student deserves to experience the confidence and joy that comes from truly understanding mathematics.
The Developing Mathematical Thinking Institute (DMTI) was founded out of a passion to help every teacher, parent, student, and administrator engage in successful math experiences.
We believe math can be rewarding and fun for all involved. Our work is driven by the belief that we support the implementation of math instruction that brings life-changing results.
DMTI was born from a simple observation: too many students were memorizing math procedures without understanding the concepts behind them. They could perform calculations but couldn't explain why they worked or apply their knowledge to new situations.
Our founder, Jonathan Brendefur, PhD, spent 20 years as a Professor of Mathematics Education at Boise State University, working directly with teachers in classrooms every week. He saw firsthand that traditional professional development wasn't working—teachers would attend workshops, try new strategies, but rarely sustain the changes.
The breakthrough came from focusing on three essential foundations often overlooked in math education:
Understanding the structure, connections, and progression of mathematical concepts across grade levels
Skillful alignment of curriculum, instruction, and assessment to meet diverse learners' needs
Applying cognitive science principles to support student reasoning, engagement, and retention
By uniting these three foundations with hands-on, classroom-embedded coaching, DMTI focuses on what matters most: strengthening academic language, building conceptual understanding, and replacing ineffective practices with evidence-based instruction.
Today, our team of veteran educators—who have taught at all levels from elementary through university—continues to work directly with students and teachers in Title I schools every week. This ongoing classroom practice, combined with our university research experience, ensures that our support is grounded in real teaching contexts and informed by educational research.
President & Founder
Complete unit maps, lesson frameworks, and instructional resources aligned to mathematical progressions
PMA (K-2) and IMA (3-6) diagnostics with targeted activities based on student needs
Engaging practice activities and games that build fluency through understanding
Standards-aligned practice assessments that prepare students without teaching to the test
Resources in English and Spanish to help families support math learning at home
Workshops, co-teaching, and ongoing support that transforms classroom practice
Every school and district is unique. We don't come in with a one-size-fits-all solution. Instead, we listen to your needs, understand your context, and design support that fits your timeline and budget.
Whether you need a single workshop, year-long co-teaching partnership, or district-wide transformation, we scale our support to match your goals.
Our specialists are former K-12 teachers who work directly with students and teachers in classrooms every week. We don't just talk about effective instruction—we demonstrate it with your students in your classrooms.
This classroom-embedded approach ensures that strategies are practical, sustainable, and immediately applicable.
Our goal is to make ourselves unnecessary. We develop teacher leaders, strengthen instructional coaching, and create systems that sustain effective practices long after our formal partnership ends.
87% of our partner schools maintain or improve gains in Year 2 without intensive co-teaching support.
Test scores matter, but they're not the whole story. We track student engagement, teacher confidence, mathematical discourse, and conceptual understanding alongside standardized assessments.
This comprehensive approach ensures sustainable improvement that goes beyond test preparation.
We specialize in K-8 mathematics, with resources and support for all grade levels from kindergarten through 8th grade. Our diagnostic assessments cover K-6, and our instructional frameworks extend through middle school.
No. DMTI works alongside your existing curriculum. We provide supplemental resources, instructional frameworks, and professional development that enhance whatever materials you're currently using. Many districts use DMTI while maintaining their adopted curriculum.
Three key differences:
Partnerships vary based on district needs and budget. A typical year-long partnership includes:
Most partners use Title I funds, dedicated professional development budget lines, or ESSA grants. We can work with your business office to structure payments around your fiscal year and provide grant language to support funding applications.
Absolutely. Many districts begin with a 3-5 school pilot, then expand district-wide after seeing Year 1 results. This allows you to build momentum, develop teacher leaders, and demonstrate ROI before committing to full implementation.
Schedule a 30-minute discovery call to discuss your needs, timeline, and how DMTI can support your math achievement goals.
Schedule Your Planning Call →No commitment required. We'll help you determine if DMTI is the right fit.