Math Goals for 2014

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:

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Screen Shot 2013-12-27 at 4.08.20 PMWhat 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.

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