August 4 - 8, 2008
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.
We ask that all participants remain on site, even those within commuting distance, since collegial interaction and evening activities form an important part of the workshop.
Daily Schedule
The summer workshop consists of daily sessions at the Mathematical Sciences Research Institute (MSRI) in Berkeley, CA. Evenings will be reserved for related, informal activities at the UC Berkeley Foothill Suites residence hall.
Monday through Thursday, August 4 -7, 2008: Morning, afternoon, and evening sessions
Friday morning, August 8, 2008: Morning session only
Accommodations
Participants will be housed in the Foothill Suites, located on the U.C. Berkeley campus, in the beautiful
Northside Berkeley hills. This lovely residence hall features suites with separate, locked entrances and
shared living rooms, Internet hookup available, laundry facilities, and a Dining Center with high ceilings
and redwood finishes. Breakfast and dinner will be served in the residence hall and lunch will be served at MSRI.
Funding
Funding for participants of the Summer Program covers tuition fees, meals and lodging on the campus of UC
Berkeley. In addition, participants receive honoraria of $100/day for the 5-day workshop.
The core of the summer workshop at MSRI will consist of the morning and afternoon sessions held from Monday
through Friday. This time will be devoted to discovery, problem solving, and interactive learning. 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. We are grateful to the Firedoll Foundation and MSRI
for supporting our summer instructors.
A major theme throughout the week will be finding creative answers to the question of how to incorporate
a problem-solving approach to math education into the existing curriculum. To this end leaders will supply
participants with handouts or short modules based on the material covered during their sessions. They will
also work with teachers to share ideas for enlivening any math class and to develop lesson plans. Focused
discussions will be held regularly to determine what obstacles exist to incorporating this style of teaching
into the present curriculum, what resources would be most helpful to teachers, and other related topics.
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