I just discovered this post in my drafts, but I think August is a good time to look back at these initial ideas about 2014, as the new school year swiftly approaches.
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As I’m frantically reading books to meet my yearly #bookaday goal of 365, I’ve been looking ahead to 2014. I realized I have set reading goals for myself since 2003 or so, but I’ve never had a math goal. Then my longtime friend (and fellow UCMST grad) Katie got me thinking on Facebook:
What would a math goal look like? Well, I can certainly share with you what’s been rolling around in my mind, although I haven’t arrived on anything definite yet. And I’ll also offer some more general math-related goals.
My goals this year are pretty audacious, and I’m okay with that. There are all sorts of teacher-y math goals that I have, but I’ve shared ones that are light on educational jargon.
Math Goals I’m Considering in 2014
- Read the History of Math textbook I borrowed from (also a fellow MST grad) John Novak.
- See if these History of Math books are relevant to my interests, and if so, read them.
- Track down contacts for kids’ publications to submit nonfiction, sciencey articles:
- Synesthesia
- Buckminster Fuller’s Geoscope
- Alexander Graham Bell’s tetrahedronal kites
- Apply to speak at the National NCTM conference
- Visit Stanford, contact Jo Boaler, and apply to the Math Education PhD program
- Grade math projects within a week to provide students with timely feedback.
So what might you do if you’re not a teacher or you’re still grappling with a damaging math past? What about these:
Mathy Goals You Might Consider
- Make 1 in 5 (or another relevant percentage) of the books you read nonfiction.
- Participate in the Hour of Code.
- Keep going and take 28 more hours of code.
- Sponsor a kid’s tuition to attend summer camp at DigiPen.
- Take an introductory online math class through MIT or Stanford.
- Talk with your kid’s teacher about the nature and length of your child’s math homework.
- Play games once a month (analog or digital, your social group’s preference)
- Create your own recipe for baked goods.
- Pick up (or re-pick up) an instrument.
- Take a dance class.
What are some math goals you might be willing to undertake? Share in the comments or use the hashtag #mathyresolutions in your favorite social media platform.