Vi Hart's Revolutionary Mathematics

For years now I've believed that Mathematics has an aesthetic, creative, and joyful component to it that is sadly ignored for the most part in the way we teach it; especially at the high school level. I have also believed that one of the main reasons why students at the K - 12 level, as well as the 13 - 16 level, dislike it so much is that it is seen, and taught for the most part, as a functional, objective discipline with little intrinsic value.

In math education there tends to be no equivalent of  poetry, creative writing, literature or anything that really helps children develop a sense of enjoyment or creativity. Imagine if reading and writing were taught from a totally functional perspective? One of the most remarkable things is the number of times students will ask of a particular math skill or concept "when am I ever going to need this" compared with the number of times a student will ask the same question of something related to creative writing.

One person who is doing something about this is Vi Hart, a self proclaimed mathmusician. She could also be called a mathartist or a mathologist as what she does flings wide the boundaries of  what we traditionally think of when we hear the word 'math'. You can also now see her videos on the Kahn Academy site which is a place many people go if they are having a difficulty understanding a particular mathematical idea.

Math Has no Grey Areas?

Until today I always felt it was a breakthrough when students would say or write that "math is not all black and white, there are grey areas". Although this might be a step forward it is clearly, now I realise, almost as incorrect as saying math is black and white. For many, brought up in traditional math classrooms, math was black and white with only one right answer and one way of getting there. Not any more.

Now, I want to state unequivocally that "MATH IN NOT BLACK AND WHITE, IT IS EVERY CONCEIVABLE COLOR, HUE, AND SHADE OF COLOR IN THE RAINBOW, AND BEYOND.

For several years I have known of the fractal work of Mandelbrot, Sierpinski and others, and more recently, the use of fractal math in the fields of phyisical, biological and earth sciences. I have also know of the relationship between music and math, design and math, and art and math. All of this and more was  beautifully presented by Sheila Weaver of the Vermont State Mathematics Coalition in a presentation at St. Michael's last Friday. The presentation can be viewed through Sheila's Tegrity presentation.

There is so much more to math than its "usefulness". There are so many other questions to be asked by K-12 students than "whenever am I going to need this". Mathematics is the science of pattern; it addresses the quantitative literacy component of our lives; it has aesthetics and beauty both in and of itself and through other media.

It's remarkable how many times balancing a check book is a main reason given for learning math. "Maths" deserves more than this!