Let's Do Mathematics

August 2020

Teachers of mathematics start to smile when they get to this time of the year. Why? Because they know that soon they will be able to do mathematics with their students! At this time, teachers of mathematics are developing lesson plans, organizing instructional materials, identifying tasks and activities, and getting to know their students to prepare to engage them in mathematics. From early childhood classrooms, to elementary or middle school classrooms, and in high school, students are “returning” in some format to learn and do mathematics. The coming together to do mathematics is exciting, even in the midst of uncertain times of COVID-19. It is exciting to think about the new mathematical ideas they will explore, new discoveries they will make, new connections that will surface, and yes, new processes and practices that students will learn. It is truly exciting to be doing mathematics!

Preparing to do mathematics with my students means designing learning experiences that do the following:

• Allow students to build new and deeper understanding based on what they already know about mathematics (strengths-based)
• Provide opportunities for each and every student to make new connections within and between mathematical concepts
• Create a learning environment that empowers and enables students to explore and make sense of mathematics
• Foster in each and every student the vision and belief in themself as a doer of mathematics

In many ways, incorporating these learning experiences (Catalyzing Change 2018, 2020) into our teaching sums up what “doing mathematics” means.

We as teachers of mathematics also need to be doing mathematics. We need to engage in understanding and critiquing our world; experiencing the wonder, joy, and beauty of mathematics; developing a deep understanding of mathematics; and empowering ourselves as doers of mathematics. We need to be doing mathematics with our students.

I have been positively overwhelmed by the support, engagement, openness, and sharing I have observed firsthand during NCTM’s 100 Days of Professional Learning webinars and how much we as teachers desire to do mathematics. Yes, sometimes we are hesitant, just like our students, afraid that we might fail or might not know how to do something, but we’re also excited when we are provided opportunities during those webinars to do mathematics. Through 100 Days we have created a safe environment for us to engage in doing mathematics, have modeled effective teaching practices to support our learning, and have been introduced to resources to support our teaching and our own learning.

Watching the conversations flow through the chat box during the webinar is exhilarating. There you see teachers have aha moments, encounter new understandings of their world, experience the beauty of mathematics, make significant mathematical and pedagogical connections to support their own understanding of mathematics and effective teaching practices, and strengthen their own mathematical identity and agency being empowered to do mathematics. We see teachers learn in the same way we desire our students to learn.

The NCTM community also created four Back to School guiding documents to support this transition. Key recommendations related to doing mathematics include—

• Providing opportunities for students to play, explore, and appreciate the joy and beauty of mathematics; and
• deeply engaging students in doing mathematics rather than merely “covering” the content.

Our students need to engage with mathematical processes and practices to build the mathematical knowledge, identity, and agency required for future success. We have the honor, privilege, and responsibility of providing learning opportunities where students engage in doing mathematics.

James Middleton and Amanda Jansen (2011) state in Motivation Matters and Interests Counts: Fostering Engagement in Mathematics, “Teaching mathematics is a wonderful job, but it is a tough job” (p. 7). We have difficult times ahead because of the circumstances of COVID-19. The job may be tough, but it is also wonderful. We have the opportunity and challenge to support the growth of our students as confident and capable learners of mathematics, so they see in themselves the doer of mathematics they have become.

As students join us as the new school year begins, in whatever learning format, their journey should be one of doing mathematics. Doing mathematics that helps them make sense of their world. Doing mathematics in which they experience the joy, wonder, and beauty in mathematics. And doing mathematics that develops their deep understanding of mathematics while also empowering them as doers of mathematics. Together we are ready to do, teach, and learn mathematics!

And if you are looking for a place to start, check out the latest Mathematics Teacher: Learning & Teaching (MTLT) journal and explore one of the Problems to Ponder and let’s do some mathematics!

Trena Wilkerson
NCTM President
@TrenaWilkerson