Zachary, my youngest son, is off at Opening Days for his first-year college experience. When his brother Anson leaves for his senior year at college in two weeks, Mark and I will officially be empty nesters. I have conflicting feelings about all of it. For my children, I am so excited for their adventures toContinue reading “August 24 Day 534: Letting Go”
Monthly Archives: August 2021
August 20 Day 530: Affirmations in Focus
I admit, I was grumpy and feeling down yesterday. But I bounced back after seeing the newest issue of MAA Focus released online. The President’s message that I wrote was about using affirmations to help students address mathematical anxiety, especially associated with assessments. Reading it again, helped relieve my own anxiety of the moment. EvenContinue reading “August 20 Day 530: Affirmations in Focus”
August 19 Day 529: It’s the Uncertainty
Tis the season of ‘Back-to-School’ and in many ways this year feels WORSE than last. Back then, there was hope. People were planning in advance for their teaching and professional events. There was a shared sense of resilience, growth, and service in continued isolation. And vaccine trials were entering Phase III with a short horizonContinue reading “August 19 Day 529: It’s the Uncertainty”
August 17 Day 527: A Picture and a Word
I just participated in an inspiring panel called “My Journey in STEM.” The target audience was young women who had performed well in the American Mathematics Competitions. The other panelists were MAA colleagues April Ström, Hortensia Soto, and Emille Davie Lawrence. We each shared a picture that represented our mathematical journey and a word thatContinue reading “August 17 Day 527: A Picture and a Word”
August 6 Day 516: Analogy
I remember practicing analogies when studying for the SATs many years ago. My students don’t seem to have experience with them. So my mathematical analogies like chain rule : substitution :: product rule : parts gain no purchase in their understanding. Today, I was struck by a new analogy: Selfie : Francis Su :: ScreenshotContinue reading “August 6 Day 516: Analogy”
August 4 Day 514: It Starts
Welcome to the opening day of MathFest 2021—the virtual edition. Today was filled with lots of “firsts,” for me and the MAA. All of it was positive. Never before today: had I hosted the annual meeting of the MAA as its President. had MAA arranged a national virtual meeting (on the HopIn platform.) Had IContinue reading “August 4 Day 514: It Starts”
August 3 Day 513: Raise Your Hand If…
I got the nicest compliment today. The opening warm-up activity of MAA Congress was organized by Emille Lawrence. It was versatile in that it worked beautifully in the virtual environment and will translate nicely to an in-person space (even with masks on.) As Emille revealed each line in the slide above, representatives in Congress raisedContinue reading “August 3 Day 513: Raise Your Hand If…”
August 2 Day 512: Going for Gold
For me, today was the first day (of six) for MathFest 2021 activities with a meeting of the MAA Congress and a welcome to the 2021 Gold Project NExT Fellows. Congress started on the meeting platform HopIn. It seems great for curating sessions and broadcasting presentations but I believe in active engagement (whether in theContinue reading “August 2 Day 512: Going for Gold”
Math in the Time of Corona 