Here are a few things I've read recently related to math and math ed!
Sam J. Shah wrote about
having a book club in a math class. I like the readings and the thoughts on organizing the discussion, and it would be interesting to think more about how to scale it. I've been putting together a set of mathematics related readings, more focused on thinking about writing and analysis with math as the subject than the other way around, and that list will definitely be influenced by this set of readings.
Steven Strogatz
on math, modeling, and his math course for liberal-arts students. I really enjoyed reading what he had to say about that course, both the approach and what it's important to learn in such a class. The part of this that hit me the most, though, was the part about mathematical beauty. I'm definitely prone to describing math, or at least good math, as beautiful and elegant, and while I've had success explaining to people where I see that beauty, Strogatz is right that it can also be alienating. I'd like to keep that in mind.
Francis Su (MAA president and Harvey Mudd professor)
on focus on process vs grades, growth mindset, and academic dishonesty.
SIAM and COMAP (which runs the Mathematics Contest in Modeling) put out
this guide to teaching math modeling in K-16. It's cool.
Mark Chubb
wrote about an estimation-focused task near the end of a unit on multiplication and about what it means in terms of focus on concept vs focus on procedure. All the questions at the end of the post are really important, and I would ask another question. I don't wonder only what students think being successful at mathematics looks like but what they think mathematics is. Also, I love the task itself.
