Patti Dieck

Patti J. Dieck brings 30 years of teaching experience to her work with NLET.  As philosopher-practitioners who are still full-time teachers, Dieck and business partner Christopher Sarlo believe that the “process of learning” should always be at the center of mathematics instruction, with an emphasis on foundational math. Outside of the classroom, Dieck and Sarlo work facilitate professional development for local school districts, providing elementary math training for teachers. They’ve worked with numerous school districts, teacher centers, and parent groups in New York state and nationally.

Dieck and Sarlo served as content writers for the EngageNY PK-5 Mathematics Modules. Patti helped to create the Grade 4 curriculum and Christopher worked on Grade 5. This work with teachers, mathematicians, and curriculum specialists from across the country allowed them to gain a unique and in-depth understanding of today’s PK-5 Mathematics Standards. They have also worked with Questar Assessment as mathematics assessment item writers, and with A-Net as assessment content editors.

In addition to their work with students and teachers, Dieck and Sarlo have worked to address the issues many parents have with today’s math, publishing a series of six books titled Thinking Math Differently, An Essential Guide for Parents and Teachers, for grades Kindergarten through Grade 5. Positively received by parents, their books are also used by school districts as part of professional development programs, as well as by student teaching supervisors as part of their seminar programs.

At present, both Christopher Sarlo and Patti Dieck are doctoral candidates, pursuing Ed.D’s in Learning and Teaching with a specialization in Elementary Mathematics, as well as Advanced Certificates in Educational Leadership, at Hofstra University in New York.