Math Chat Mondays #2: Making Math Fun
A Math Moment with Dr. Raj Shah, K-5 Reveal Math Author
Welcome to Math Chat Mondays, a series where we highlight many of the expert authors, advisors, and thought leaders behind our new Reveal Math K-5 core mathematics program. Each Monday we will introduce a Reveal Math contributor, asking them questions about their mathematical research and expertise, their contributions to the Reveal Math curriculum, and above all, why they are passionate about all things math. Read on to meet our second guest, Dr. Raj Shah!
Meet Dr. Raj Shah
Raj has always had an affinity for math. Powered by his love of math, he earned a Ph.D. in Physics in 1999, which led to a career in R&D at Intel. In 2008, he quit his job and founded Math Plus Academy, an after-school STEM enrichment program for kids ages 5–14. His mission is to introduce kids and adults to the wonders of mathematics. Dr. Shah also contributes his time to Math Teacher Circles, the Julia Robinson Math Festival, and is a founding member of The Global Math Project. He believes that everyone can enjoy math, develop strong number sense, and become a perseverant problem solver. Follow him on Twitter @drrajshah.
1. Why have you chosen a career supporting math classrooms?
I’ve always had an affinity for math and teaching. We live in a world where the value of numeracy skills increases every single day. And sadly, we continue to raise generations of kids who don’t like math or believe that they can’t do math. I felt a calling to help fix this problem.
Read more about how Raj is helping all students uncover an appreciation for math, through the Global Math Project:
2. How do you encourage students to enjoy math?
I think enjoyment starts curiosity. Kids are naturally curious, but they lose that curiosity as they progress through their K-12 education. Instead of being places for curiosity and exploration, our math classrooms are focused solely on transferring skills from the teacher to the student.
Students and teachers forget that virtually every result in mathematics is surprising when viewed through the right lens.
Humans have spent centuries figuring out things we put into textbooks as “facts.” Helping students reconnect with curiosity, exploration, and discovery makes all the difference.
3. Describe what a positive math environment looks like.
In a math positive classroom, students are free to explore, collaborate, and try things without fear of being judged for being “wrong.” Teachers are coaches guiding students, fostering their “hope of success,” and helping students collectively make sense of difficult concepts AFTER students have had a chance to make sense of things on their own.
Watch Raj explain how and why math positive classrooms work:
4. How might educators promote a math positive environment today?
A math positive environment starts with sparking curiosity which invites kids into a problem or task. Well designed problems and tasks allow EVERY learner to get started. Students who are curious and have had some success, will persevere as long as they have hope of success. When teachers focus more on student thinking and less on just producing correct answers, it changes how students approach math.
5. How did you get involved with Reveal Math and what are you most excited about?
I presented at several MHE PD workshops on keys to getting kids to productively struggle. Following those successful events, I was invited to be an advisor for Reveal Math. I’m really excited that Reveal embraces fostering student curiosity and exploration through the Ignite tasks that kick-off every unit. In addition, each lesson features routines teachers can use to get students to notice and wonder. I think giving teachers these supports is going to have a huge impact on creating an open, positive, safe environment in the classroom.
6. What makes Reveal Math different?
Reveal has been carefully crafted to allow teachers to facilitate the exploration and discovery of mathematics without over-reliance on direct instruction. Direct instruction, if overused, can sap student curiosity and make math feel like a dull collection of unconnected facts and algorithms to be memorized. I think Reveal is going to help teachers make math class fun!
7. What is the most important aspect of elementary mathematics today and how do you see it evolving?
I think the biggest change we are seeing is the move to allow students to be active participants in their learning of math.
Teachers are starting to trust students with more difficult problems and giving them the space to try things and fail.
If we can make math class feel like a video game, we know kids will continue to persevere to solve problems. This is a big change and it requires teachers to let go and trust that students will form deeper and more meaningful connections and understandings if taught this way.
See what else Raj has to say about using engaging games and activities to make math fun:
8. What is your fondest math memory?
My fondest memory of math is when I learned that if you compute the digit sum of multiples of 9 (9,18,27,…), you always get 9! That was super surprising to my 8-year-old self and it fascinated me. That experience set me on a path to wonder and explore math on my own time and helped me fall in love with math. I started finding patterns in square numbers and trying to devise my own ways to do arithmetic faster than the standard algorithms. It’s that sense of wonder and exploration that I hope we can instill in a new generation of kids learning mathematics for the first time.
