Ash Newton
I have to admit, I’m pretty good at math. I can do the math, most of the time. It’s how to explain what I did that gets me. How do I make sense of all the numbers and symbols, and put it into words? The professor says it’s like writing a story, I just have to get better at understanding the language. Knowing what the meanings of the parts of math is a good start. I can also use manipulatives like blocks, tiles, coins, and other stuff to help visualize what the numbers and symbols are saying.
Cali Noether
I like math, but it makes me nervous. Sometimes the class goes too fast, then I get lost. I have a hard time asking questions because I’m kind of shy. Usually by the end of class I just have a stomach full of butterflies, because I get math anxiety. I think I can be good at math if I just relax. Professor H. is going to help me with that. She says the first thing you must do if you’re going to learn anything is relax. Then pay attention, and keep a positive mindset. She says we do that naturally when we play.
Professor Hypatia Dodgson, PhD
I grew up in the city, playing hopscotch and double-dutch on the street. That is where I learned to appreciate patterns. I was thirteen when I had my math aha moment; it wasn’t in a math class but in music. Fractions suddenly made sense. I had a few teachers who encouraged me, which led me to want to pursue mathematics. I’m now both a university professor, and a tutor to Lil and her friends. Together we are on a quest to find and understand the mathematics within them and their world. To do this, they need to learn how to play math.
Reed Isaac
I can do math, but I’ll admit I’m a little too fast for my own good. I tend to take shortcuts. Sometimes they work and, well, sometimes they don’t. I have to make sure I know why the math works before I take the easy way out. Easy isn’t always best, but I do know there is always more than one way. So when the professor asked if I wanted to play math, I said, yes. Now I get the chance to twist and bend numbers, and ask the big question, “what happens if…?”. I guess I’ll also get the chance to find the answer.
Lily (Lil) Edgerton
I love math. I think everyone should know how and why we do math. So I wanted to do more to make that happen. I decided to question math. The professor says that I started a quest, because I’m looking for answers. I asked my friends here to join the quest. We hope to gain a better sense of numbers and become…fluent, that’s the word. Here is where the fun begins. We are going to take math outside, empty it onto the ground and sort it out like a puzzle. We are going to play until we figure it out. We’ll clean up when we’re done.
Oliver Carroll
I actually don’t understand why I need to know math. I don’t get it at all. Most of the time its hard and confusing. I want to like it, but learning it isn’t much fun, especially when the same thing is repeated over, and over, and over. If it didn’t make sense the first five times, the sixth time isn’t going to either. I’m not the only one confused. I heard a boy say math is stupid. Maybe he’s right. The Professor says, we are going to stop working and start playing math. Then I’ll see why we need it, how it’s essential, and that I can learn it, if I just play.