MidSchoolMath National Conference 2016

We refer to our students as young poets or artists in their English or Art classes when they create their poems and paintings.  Why not have them learn to create their own mathematics (and not just learn to follow algorithms) as they must in a math circle?

This session introduces the notion and practice of a “math circle.” To quote from the National Association of Math Circles site: "Math Circles bring K-12 students or K-12 mathematics teachers together with mathematically sophisticated leaders in an informal setting, after school or on weekends, to work on interesting problems or topics in mathematics. The Circles combine significant content with a setting that encourages a sense of discovery and excitement about mathematics through problem solving and interactive exploration. Ideal problems are low-threshold, high-ceiling; they offer a variety of entry points and can be approached with minimal mathematical background, but lead to deep mathematical concepts and can be connected to advanced mathematics."

We will run a math circle session, with the mathematical level being accessible and interesting to students in grades 5 though 9 (and even above!). This does not mean that the problems will be easy. They will certainly not be. In general, problems will start from an easily grasped place—perhaps involving some physical object or manipulative—and build to a more generalized understanding of the area of mathematics involved.