Reflection for Week 6 - Bridges Stockholm 2018 Conference Report by Eve Torrance
Reading
Eve Torrance (2019), Bridges 2018,Summary
Summary
The Bridges conference is about the connections between mathematics and art, architecture, music, and education. In July 2018, the 21st conference was organized at Tekniska Museet, a museum in Stockholm, Sweden. The Mathematical Garden is located in front of the museum. There is a pentagonal tile pattern at the entrance of the museum, and this pattern was suggested by a mathematician named Marjorie Rice. In the opening session of the conference, Carol Bier, a researcher on the intersections between art and mathematics, introduced a special double issue of the Journal of Mathematics and the Arts. This was in honour of the founder of Bridges, named Reza Sarhangi. The conference participants were asked to vote for their favourite pieces in the art exhibition. The first three days of the conference had mostly short paper presentations and workshops. There was a music night on the third evening, and it consisted of two entertaining acts. The fourth day of the conference had Nordic Day and Family Day events. Family Day consisted of more than 20 public workshops for children. These workshops reminded me of the Virtual Family Math Fair at UBC. After these workshops, there was a fashion show organized by Susan Goldstine, which displayed mathematical clothing and jewellery. The 2019 Bridges Conference was organized in Austria and co-hosted by Johannes Kepler University.
First stop
The second paragraph of the reading mentions that the Mathematical Garden, which is located close to the museum, has puzzle mazes, a slide shaped like a nautilus shell, and a fence inspired by the Koch curve. The architecture of the garden is very fascinating for me as a mathematics student. I love how it is connected with mathematics. I like how the Koch curve, which is one of the earliest known fractal curves, is an inspiration for the fence. This curve was first described by the Swedish mathematician Helge von Koch. The polyhedral climbing structure in the garden was very popular among the participants of the conference.
Second stop
On page 6 of the reading, it says that Family Day began with the play "Witches of Agnesi," which was written and produced by our professor Susan Gerofsky. As soon as I read her name, it made me curious about what her play is about. During this play, the audience sat under oak trees while a crew of 19 people performed a script that they got three days before the play. In this play, three mathematicians with lived experiences in different centuries share tea and talk about their lives. Humour and storytelling are used in this play to present the fascinating and inspirational lives of these renowned mathematicians, who had obstacles in their careers because they were women. It is interesting to me how a play is dedicated to the struggles and achievements of renowned mathematicians from different periods of the history.
Questions
- How can teachers effectively make connections between mathematics and arts in their classes, so that students have more appreciation for the beauty of mathematics?
- What are some advantages/disadvantages of organizing workshops similar to Family Day workshops in elementary schools for mathematics education?
Thank you for talking about the storytelling! I got curious and I will read about it ;). Reagrding the Family day workshops in elementary schools, I believe we have a great opportunity to think about that next Saturday ;)
ReplyDeleteI was mesmerized after reading the short snippet provided by you about the Bridges conference, which was all about the deep connections of math with different forms of art. These live examples encourage us to use various art forms in our mathematics sessions with our students. As we discussed in our last class, being a part of the YES group, Math and art are a natural fit. We have seen that various forms of art are connected to math in one way or another, and these examples are related to real-world situations. A student feels more connected when presented with a math problem which is natural for him and belongs to the real world. As mathematics teachers, we can take them on a field trip to any museum or art gallery to show different artwork, sculptures, or paintings and try to develop math vocabulary through these activities. Even students can be encouraged to draw and sketch using geometric shapes and symmetry to truly understand the beauty of mathematics.
ReplyDeleteI am excited about the virtual family math fair this Saturday. I think this is the most significant way to learn mathematics. When a family is involved in the learning process, they will significantly appreciate the artistic way of teaching and learning mathematics concepts and be supportive of their children. Teachers and parents can collaborate to make this innovative mathematics learning method more accessible and valuable.
Family Day workshops encourage active participation from students and their families, fostering a collaborative learning environment where everyone can engage with mathematics. Workshops provide hands-on experiences with mathematical concepts, allowing students to explore and manipulate mathematical ideas tangibly. Also, these events foster a sense of community within the school, bringing together students, families, and educators to collaborate and celebrate learning. Activities designed on mathematical concepts based on real-world situations, making learning more meaningful and applicable to students' lives.
Organizing and coordinating Family Day workshops requires significant planning and resources, including securing materials, scheduling volunteers, and managing logistics. Attendance issues and language barriers in some families, funding limitations, and ongoing support and enthusiasm for Family Day workshops can sometimes be challenging.