Mindfulness and Math Fellowship
MINDFULNESS & MATH (M2) FELLOWSHIP
M2 connects Chicago math educators into a single community of practice. It pairs rigorous, culturally responsive math instruction with educator leadership development, identity, and wellness - a fellowship model built around the whole teacher, not just their subject-matter skills.
M = (R + C)(E + P) + G
The equation M2 fellows built together: meaningful mathematical learning as the product of relationships, critical thinking, equity, presence, and growth. It became the organizing frame for the whole program.
From Men of Math to Mindfulness & Math
M2 began as Men of Math, an initiative designed to support and retain Black and Latino male mathematics educators. Over time, the fellowship broadened to include a more diverse group of educators while retaining its original emphasis on representation, culturally responsive mathematics instruction, professional community, and educator leadership. The fellowship's core principles continue to inform IRJ's broader work on educator development and teacher workforce research.
Why M2 Was Needed
Math is a gatekeeper to STEM opportunity. When Men of Math launched in 2022, that gate was closing early and unevenly in Chicago. The district has since made real progress expanding middle-school Algebra access, but Black and Latinx students still pass Algebra 1 by 8th grade, and go on to STEM majors, at lower rates than their peers. That gap is tied, research suggests, in part to whether educators have access to culturally responsive instructional tools, mentorship, and leadership support. M2 was built as a direct response.
The M2 Fellowship Model
M2 connects math teachers across schools, grades, and neighborhoods, pairing rigorous, culturally informed instruction with mindfulness, wellness, and strengths-based leadership. The fellowship has served 19 educators across three cohorts; five went on to serve as coaches for later cohorts. IRJ has implemented and evaluated the fellowship to better understand the conditions that support educator growth, leadership, and long-term retention.
The Institute for Racial Justice's M2 Fellowship: Teaching Culturally-Informed Mathematics
Watch the fellowship's founding cohort in the classroom, the school-based work that Men of Math grew out of, before the model broadened into Mindfulness & Math.
What the evaluation found:
19
educators across 3 cohorts
5
fellows transitioned into Fellowship Coach roles
4.55/5
avg. rating for the Mathifesto and CliftonStrengths coaching, the two highestrated component
100%
of the 12 Fellows who answered the question rated it "very relevant" or "transformative"
What I admire most about M2 is that it never stood still. IRJ continually refined the fellowship to better serve educators while staying true to its purpose. That commitment to innovation in service of equity is what makes M2 so impactful. Kelly N. Ferguson, Gallup-Certified Strengths Coach, Purpose Works Coaching Collective and M2 Leadership Team
The evaluation identified practices that now inform IRJ's broader research on educator recruitment, support, leadership, and retention.
The evaluation found that CliftonStrengths coaching, added for the 2026 cohort, strengthened fellows' leadership identity alongside the Mathifesto capstone. A Mathifesto is each fellow's personal philosophy of mathematics teaching, expressed as an original mathematical model reflecting their beliefs about learning, mindfulness, equity, and leadership. Five fellows later became coaches, while others assumed leadership positions within their schools and districts.
Honoring The 2026 Cohort
MATTHEW COLLUM
KIPP Academy Chicago
PERCY CRUDUP
Rauner College Prep
GLENISHA HATCHETT
Ronald Brown Academy
DR. THOMAS SCANLAN
Chicago Agricultural HS
LAUREN SZYMANSKI
Pilsen Community Academy
Related Resources
FEATURE ~ THE FELLOWSHIP
INSIDE THE M2 FELLOWSHIP
How a cohort of Chicago math teachers deepened their practice and built a professional community grounded in mindfulness, equity, and shared leadership.