Bridging the Gap

Day 33 (of 187) – October 19, 2018

Thank goodness for my husband and daughter… planning the weekend so nicely. My daughter went to Kamloops to play rugby and my husband took time off work to pick me up from the airport to drive me to Whistler to attend the Northwest Math Conference. We had a good time together. He said it was like “a date.” That’s nice. I guess it would feel that way if I’m up in Prince George working at the university and he is still on the Sunshine Coast as full-time parent and housekeeper. It’s all good. I was so glad to get back to my roots… my people… my tribe. MATH EDUCATORS. I feel a huge connection to these people and I love being a part of the BC Association of Math Teachers. Furthermore, I love to learn. What a great way to fill my cup. PROFESSIONAL LEARNING.

Above is a photo of me and Mahtab, a professor from Thompson Rivers University in Kamloops. WE met long ago at another Northwest Math Conference and back then, we were both secondary mathematics teachers. It was so great to connect with her and so many other math educators in BC and the United States. I love meeting new people and chatting with them about math and math education. I felt so fortunate to make the second half of the opening keynote. See photo below. The whole conference, for me, was about mathematical thinking and making it visible. I loved the suggestions for assessment but also concepts throughout the conference that focussed on what do you notice, what do you wonder about, and what if? Mathematical thinking is about what’s possible.

My 45-minute presentation at the Westin (a neighbouring hotel) was about my EDUC 454 course at SFU-Burnaby in 2017. My message: TAKE MATH OUTSIDE. Be curious. PLAY. There were about 200 people at my session. I was thinking there was going to be 20, at most. Anyway, I think the session went well and I feel honoured to be a speaker at this conference. Other speakers I went to had similar messages. My mind was shifting… and I liked it. I even got to see Dan Finkel… TWICE. I introduced myself to him before his sessions at the BCAMT table. We had just watched his TEDx in one of my classes a couple of weeks ago about exceptional mathematical teaching. His workshops were outstanding. HOW MANY? WHAT IF? Was what I got from his first workshop. And, CONJECTURES AND COUNTEREXAMPLES… I got from his second workshop. He is very compelling. The IGNITE sessions were awesome, I met lots of people, and the closing keynote was exceptional. Too much to say about in so little space… still digesting and appreciating.

THANK YOU NORTHWEST MATH CONFERENCE 2018 COMMITTEE!!!