BeCALM & CALM: High-Quality Math Curriculum for Minnesota Adult Education

BeCALM & CALM: High-Quality Math Curriculum for Minnesota Adult Education

In FY26, ATLAS partnered with the Adult Numeracy Center at TERC to offer a CALM Implementation Cohort for representatives from 15 Minnesota Adult Education programs across 12 consortia and a wide variety of instructional settings. The cohort’s goal was never to focus solely on a particular curriculum. Instead, its purpose has always been—and the goal of MN ABE math/numeracy instruction continues to be—to equip teachers and programs with effective tools and instructional approaches that strengthen mathematics instruction and support meaningful learning for all students.

CALM and BeCALM are two high-quality resources that we are excited to help make more accessible to Minnesota Adult Basic Education practitioners and learners.

What are CALM and BeCALM?

CALM (Curriculum for Adults Learning Math) was developed by the Adult Numeracy Center at TERC on behalf of Public Adult Education of Massachusetts. It is a College and Career Readiness Standards (CCRS)-aligned curriculum created by adult education experts for adult learners. Rather than emphasizing memorization and procedures, CALM helps students develop deep conceptual understanding through visual models, rich mathematical discussions, and collaborative problem-solving.

BeCALM (Beginning Curriculum for Adults Learning Math), also developed in Massachusetts, extends this same instructional approach to learners working at approximately GLE 2–4 (CCRS Levels B/C), providing engaging, hands-on learning experiences that build foundational mathematical understanding.

Together, CALM and BeCALM represent a shift toward instruction that helps learners make sense of mathematics—not just complete procedures.

Explore the key features of CALM and BeCALM to learn more.

What Teachers Are Saying

Teachers in the implementation cohort reported meaningful shifts in both their confidence and instructional practice.

“I’ve noticed a significant shift from ‘explaining’ to ‘observing.’ I’ve stopped being the answer key and have started becoming a facilitator of mathematical discourse.”

“I never really considered myself a math teacher before, but this cohort has given me much more confidence. The curriculum is comprehensive yet user-friendly, making it easy to adapt to my students’ needs.”

“I don’t feel that math is just students finishing worksheets anymore. We can slow down, explore concepts deeply, and connect mathematics to real-life applications.”

Read more teacher reflections about implementing CALM and BeCALM and their impact on student learning in our newsletter.

Access the Curriculum and Professional Learning

Minnesota Adult Education practitioners can access both the curriculum and self-paced professional learning designed to support successful implementation.

• BeCALM is freely available through TERC. Minnesota Adult Education practitioners may also request access to the BeCALM Introduction* asynchronous course (4 CEUs).
• CALM is available to Minnesota Adult Education practitioners after successfully completing the CALM Introduction* asynchronous course (4 CEUs).

These self-paced courses provide practical guidance for implementing the curriculum while connecting educators with Minnesota’s growing BeCALM/CALM community.

Request access to the BeCALM and/or CALM Introduction courses today.

*Note: Access to these courses is only available to educators working in Minnesota Adult Education programs.

Questions?
Contact Lindsey Pust, [email protected].