Imagine a math classroom where students willingly engage on collaborative exploration and problem-solving of rigorous mathematical concepts.
Now imagine that students broaden their understanding of what mathematics is, and while doing so develop problem-solving strategies that may be applied in any area of mathematical challenge.
Imagine mathematics instruction that is in its nature engaging and often fun and students participate of their own free will.
A good math circle lesson does just this. It involves exploring mathematical concepts or problems in such a way that most students can engage
and be challenged yet which have no ceiling to where this exploration takes them. It respects and extends student thinking. It provides them with models
and approaches to develop their own observations. It promotes the role of student to that of budding mathematician capable of investigation and expression of critical thinking.
And while doing so, it exposes students to the variety, complexity, and perhaps beauty of mathematics itself.
The Bay Area Circle for Teachers (BACT) endeavors to support teachers learning, enhancing and sharing content knowledge and instructional practices that bring such rich mathematical exploration into our schools. Currently we facilitate two workshops, a day-long winter workshop and a week long summer workshop that gives teachers experience with and resources from some of the wealth of math circle lessons currently being led in many math circles both local and national. We are continually looking to understand teacher's needs, to facilitate their interaction with research and applied mathematicians, and to support their development as math educators.
Summer Workshop- June 17- June 21, 2013
Click Here for more information!
Click Here to Apply!
The Summer workshop supports teachers in their development of problem solving skills as well as the incorporation of problem solving into
their school’s curriculum. During the earlier part of the week teachers will gain experience with a variety of problem solving techniques
such as symmetry, mathematical patterns, and parity. Subsequent sessions will focus on particular topics such as geometry, sequences,
counting, and number theory. Traditionally relegated to the high school curriculum or beyond, these topics actually provide a natural
starting point for exploring and appreciating interesting mathematics at the middle school level. All the sessions will be led by exceptional
educators and mathematicians from the San Francisco Bay area. The participants will be provided with housing, supplies, and meals for each day
of the workshop they attend. Applications will be evaluated on a first-come first-served basis beginning late February, 2013 and spaces will fill
up fast, so please apply early!
Notes from the
Winter Workshop
, Saturday, January 26, 2013
a warm and sunny day in Jack London Square.
Henri Picciotto introduced
Function Diagrams
, an alternate
representation of functions which lends itself to observing the input and
output, and visualizing composition of functions.
Here are Henri's session
materials (and much more!):
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The main function diagram page
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http://www.mathedpage.org/
func-diag/
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handout:
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http://www.mathedpage.org/
func-diag/pdfs/
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presentation slides, the applets, etc.:
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http://www.mathedpage.org/func-diag/index.html#links
a>
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Graduate students from the CM^2 program at SFSU presented mini-versions of lessons they developed for their partner teacher classrooms.
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Steven
Collazos
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An
Approach to Introducing Ehrhart Theory in High-School Algebra
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Paper
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Alyssa
Palfreyman
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Adjacencies
in Three-Dimensional Graphs
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Paper
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Brian
Cruz
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Supercoiling:
Linking Number, Twist, and Writhe
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Paper
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Jack
Love
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Polytopes
and their Maps
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Paper
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Jessica
Delgado
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Math
Circle Lesson Bowling Pin Puzzle
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Paper
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Kelley
Walker
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Down
The Rabbit Hole
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Paper
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Cecilia
Maria Coca
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Normal
Distributions
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Paper
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Servando
Pineda
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Random
Walks on Polytopes
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Paper
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Tahir
Anjum
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Parity
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Math Circles
The San Francisco and Oakland/East Bay Math Circles are weekly enrichment programs for students and their teachers, grades 6-12, centered on intriguing and challenging mathematical problems. San Francisco Math Circle (SFMC) meets on Mondays at San Francisco State University (SFSU); the Oakland/ East Bay Math Circle (OEBMC) meets on Tuesday at Skyline High, Wednesday at Head-Royce, and Thursday at Laney College and Patten University in Oakland.
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