ABOUT MATHEMATICS FOR CHANGE
Mathematics for Change is not an alternative curriculum, but a collection of short, ready-to-use lesson modules designed to enrich existing math programs through inquiry, modeling, and real-world connections.
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Founder of Mathematics for Change | Global Schools Advocate (UN SDSN)
Introduction
Mathematics for Change is a digital platform designed for teachers.
It turns mathematics into a tool for exploring and understanding the world, offering ready-to-use lessons, real data, and AI-assisted feedback.
Developed by Elena Martelli, a mathematics educator and curriculum designer, the project helps teachers bring sustainability and critical thinking into math classrooms through clear structures and real-world applications.
Objectives
​Mathematics for Change aims to bridge the gap between abstract mathematics and real-world understanding through data-driven, adaptable lessons that connect core concepts to authentic global contexts.
The project seeks to empower teachers with inquiry-based approaches that promote reasoning, modeling, and interpretation rather than rote learning.
It also strives to engage students in exploration, collaboration, and meaningful application of mathematics to real issues, while promoting mathematical literacy as a foundation for critical thinking and informed citizenship.
Finally, Mathematics for Change works to build a global community of educators sharing innovative, classroom-tested resources that make mathematics both accessible and relevant for all learners.
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Vision
Mathematics for Change envisions a world where math education inspires curiosity, critical thinking, and global awareness.
Mathematics becomes a living language — not only for calculation, but for interpreting and questioning the world.
Teachers are designers of meaningful learning experiences, and students are problem-solvers who link abstract reasoning to real-life insight.
Ultimately, the classroom becomes a space where mathematics nurtures understanding and a sense of connection to the systems shaping our planet.​​
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About Elena Martelli
Elena Martelli is a mathematics educator and curriculum designer with nearly 15 years of experience in secondary education. Her work focuses on transforming mathematics into a meaningful and interdisciplinary subject that empowers students to explore, interpret, and model the world around them.
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As a Global Schools Advocate within the UN SDSN network, she has collaborated with international educators to design innovative classroom practices that integrate real-world data, modeling, and inquiry-based learning.
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In 2025, she was invited to share her experience as a Schools for Goal 7 educator during the Global Goals Week in New York City, contributing her testimony on how mathematics education can foster awareness of sustainability and inspire student action.
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Her STEAM lesson “Tidal Power: Harnessing the Energy of Sea Currents” was selected for inclusion in the official Greening STEAM Education Guide, recognizing her contribution to connecting mathematics and sustainability through interdisciplinary design.
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Through Mathematics for Change, Elena brings together years of classroom experience and global collaboration to create lesson frameworks that make mathematics accessible, relevant, and inspiring for today’s learners.
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She believes that mathematics can be a universal language for change, helping students see the beauty of patterns in both numbers and nature.