Celebrate #MathematicsAwarenessMonth - April 2015

Hello my fellow math enthusiasts,

I just learned today that April is not only #FinancialLiteracyMonth, it is #MathematicsAwarenessMonth!!  This year's theme is Math Drives Careers:

Math Drives Career graphic

This picture came from the organization www.mathaware.org/mam/2015 . On there site, they suggest that this month we should increase awareness of the opportunities for careers using mathematics.  Is there something that you could be doing in your adult education classrooms to promote breadth of careers available to those who study the mathematics sciences?

If so, please share, let's discuss this as a group so we can help our learners understand how math is used in careers.

Brooke
istasb@cowley.edu

If you would like to download, print and display the 2015 Theme Poster - click here.

 

Comments

Found this article in the Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Journal Sentinel, "For UW-Waukesha professor, teaching math is an art form".  It is an article that discusses math anxiety.  As an instructor myself, I know several of my learners suffer from this, too.  Please read the article and let me know some strategies or take-aways you have from it.

Brooke
istasb@cowley.edu

I utilize various techniques with my math students to increase their confidence while reducing anxiety.  One way is to have them recite a math-related affirmation like "I am great at math".   Sometimes I have students write a math autobiography so that I can know what is their math background and source of anxiety.  I also believe that providing students multiple approaches to a problem is beneficial.

 

 

Maranda,

I like this idea of having students give positive affirmations out loud!  My learners seem to always say to me that they do fine in class but are terrible math test takers - maybe I will have them start saying - "I am a GREAT math test taker!"  Have you (or anyone in the community) ever tried journal writing about math?  

Brooke
istasb@cowley.edu

Yes I have tried journal writing with my math students -- the math biography or even after lessons have students write their thoughts on what they learned.

There are tons of affirmations out there -- I've even created a presentation of calm/peaceful places with the affirmation in the background.

 

A colleague sent this TED Talk to me, "Math is forever" it is a short video, 10:14 minutes. Here is the description:  "With humor and charm, mathematician Eduardo Sáenz de Cabezón answers a question that’s wracked the brains of bored students the world over: What is math for? He shows the beauty of math as the backbone of science — and shows that theorems, not diamonds, are forever. In Spanish, with English subtitles."  Yes, this is in Spanish but it is still work your time to review it.  #MathematicsAwarenessMonth

Let me know what you think.

Brooke
istasb@cowley.edu