IMA:Mathematics Today

aths in the Malls was held in the MetroCentre, Gateshead from the 28th to the 30th January 2009. 1001 students from 29 schools took part in a mathematical walk, which was devised by Steve Humble FIMA, (aka Dr Maths) and Professor Robin Johnson (Newcastle University) in one of Europe’s largest shopping centres.

A recent study in the UK (Ofsted Report, 2008) has provided strong evidence to suggest that well-organized activities outside the classroom contribute significantly to the quality and depth of children’s learning, including their personal, social, and emotional development. The MetroCentre maths trail provides further evidence of this enhanced learning.

Math trails are meaningful, stimulating, challenging, and exciting for children. Importantly, these trails invite all children, irrespective of their classroom achievement level, to participate successfully in problem solving activities, gaining a sense of pride in the mathematics they create. Children’s mathematical eyes are opened as they discover real-world examples of shape, pattern, number, data, symmetry, and reflection, to name just a few. Children become mathematical detectives as they pose questions, solve problems, and document and communicate their discoveries in variousways. Mathematics is very much alive in the world around us and children come to appreciate this very quickly.

Feedback from the teachers, children, and their parents/guardians endorse the success of this MetroCentre maths trail. Here are a handful of comments from teachers and helpers on the trail.

“Had a great time at Maths in the Malls. All staff and children enjoyed it. The event was well organised and offered a good range of questions to challenge the children.”

David Grimes, Headteacher, Collierley Primary School

“The children and some of the adults were challenged by the various activities. The maths puzzles and problems will keep us busy back in the classroom for a while! The children have asked when we can go on another one!”

Gill Taylor, Deputy Head, Gosforth Park First School

“The year 7 pupils who came to the MetroCentre really enjoyed the MathsWalk. It allowed them to experience maths in a fun and positive way, and to apply their maths skills to real life contexts.”

Sarah Phillips, St.Michael’s School

Mathematical learning in such contexts is not simply enrichment, it is at the core of empowering children’s understanding of mathematics. We see math trails as empowering children for lifelong learning. By integrating “outside” mathematics within our “inside” classroom mathematics, we can sow the seeds for the development of flexible, creative and future-oriented mathematical thinkers and problem solvers.

The maths trail will remain in the MetroCentre for everyone to take part and copies of the trail are available at the Green Mall Information desk.

A big thank you goes to the BALTIC art gallery, Maths Magician Martin Duffy, Professor Chris Budd and Dr James Blowey for their maths workshops along the trail route. Thanks also goes to the IMA and LMS, for their support and grants kindly donated, and to The Evening Chronicle Newspaper for bringing maths to its 55,000 readership. Without them none of this work in raising the profile of mathematics would be possible.

To contact Steve Humble email him at DrMaths@hotmail.co.uk

Mathematician in Residence Scheme The Langton Institute for Young Mathematicians, Canterbury

The Langton Institute for Young Mathematicians (and their teachers) was founded by the Simon Langton Grammar School for Boys in Canterbury in December of 2008. Its main aim is to support gifted and talented pupils in their pursuit of creative mathematics through an inquiry led learning approach. The students and teachers are equally responsible for the ethos and direction of the Institute’s future and development, and all are equally entitled to the Fellowship of the Institute.

Several projects have began at the Institute; the research programme, the podcasting and digitization programme, and the Mathematician in Residence Scheme. The research programme is all about problem solving and inquiry-based approach to learning mathematics. The first project is dealing with the theory and history of polyhedra, and the second with the queuing theory. The polyhedra project is trans-Atlantic as we work in cooperation with the Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy through video conferencing, student portal forum http://www.thelangtoninstitute.org/chatroom/Blah.pl, and by developing mathematics wiki site see www.maths-wiki.net and www.math-wiki.net . The queuing theory project deals mainly with the problems students encounter in our host school when dealing with the use of the common areas, including dining hall, and the library and computer rooms.

In our digitization project students digitize old geometry textbooks from18th and 19th century and make them available freely on the internet. At the same time they look at the materials from centuries ago, comparing them to the questions and materials from the contemporary syllabi in mathematics in the UK. In this area we work with the University of Sussex on digitizing and making use of digitized copies of Newton’s original manuscripts.

Podcasts are made by students who specialize in mathematics software such as Geometer’s Sketchpad and Fathom Dynamic Data, and these will be available through the Langton Institute’s website freely for anyone else wishing to learn how to use these programmes in their learning of mathematics.

The Institute Fellows explore the new and old mathematical concepts and exchange ideas in an open and supportive environment, and the doors of the Institute are open to gifted and talented students of mathematics, and to their teachers, from any area in the UK. At the moment we are developing residential programme for the summer of 2010.

The Langton Institute has been given an Education Grant by the IMA and now wishes to appoint a first Mathematician in Residence. This is an honorary, unpaid position, for the duration of one year. The Mathematician in Residence can expect the Institute to pay hers/his overnight and travel expenses whilst in Canterbury, and will have the pleasure of working with some very able young mathematicians who cannot wait to hear more about modern mathematics.

The Institute Fellows believe that the reason many students don’t choose mathematics at undergraduate level is the fact that they cannot see the many varied opportunities that degree in mathematics would give them. In order to bridge this gap between the desire to do mathematics and the lack of information about what a mathematician does, we have decided to bring professional mathematicians into our Institute.

We would expect the mathematician to reside with us for three to four days spread over the period of an academic year, during which time she/he will have the opportunity to talk to students in assemblies, organise workshops, research seminars and/or organise a mathematical trip. We also expect to maintain reasonably frequent contact with our mathematician in residence during that year, in particular for advice, research or industrial/commercial expertise, and for advice with work placements.

The Mathematician in Residence will, it is hoped, communicate her/his research interests to the audience of students and teachers at the Institute.

We will aim to appoint a mathematician who is practising the profession in an academic, industrial, commercial or government setting.

If you are interested, please contact Director of the Institute, Dr. Snezana Lawrence, by email at: snezana@mathsisgoodforyou.com.

The deadline for registration of interest is end of May 2009. Discussions will be completed and an appointment announced by the end of July 2009 for the incumbent to begin his/her duties by the end of September 2009.