This week in Liberation Math:
- Math Problem for This Week: Shower vs. Bath
- Watch this video of the shower vs. bath situation. Which is cheaper, the shower or the bath?
- What information do you need to solve this problem? If you want to play along, ask questions and figure out what you need to know by tweeting your questions and thoughts using the hashtag #libmath. Its also up to course participants to answer the questions, so figure out a way together to get those answers. Remember that weve all been trained up that math problems are neat, that there is a right way to do them, and that all the information comes from the teacher. We are thumbing our noses at that, which can make you feel shaky and insecure. Instead of doubting yourself, work with others can increase your safety and confidence.
- Once you’ve gathered all the information you need, see if you can answer the question. Well feature an answer here from the class blog posts next week!
- Readings for this week. Wed love to hear your thoughts!
- Weve been working hard in the class to dismantle our first participant memory and put it back together again with a greater understanding. Check out our notes notes on memory-work process with the Shelly memory. Wed love your thoughts!
- Chapter 2 of Sheila Tobias, Overcoming Math Anxiety. This chapter focuses on math anxiety. If youve read much here, you know I have some issues with the label math anxiety, but this chapter is still a good read.
- A Pixar University for the Rest of Us from “Thinking Out Loud” blog. This isnt explicitly about math, but Im hoping it will get us thinking about how we learn in the world, how we use that learning, and how we grow ourselves and our personal learning networks.
- We are also thinking about how to change the world outside of our class. You should feel free to check out the lists of tasks for class participants this week as well!
Related articles
- Liberation Math Week 1: Welcome! (liberationmath.org)
- Liberation Math: Week 2 (liberationmath.org)
- Math Anxiety and Critical Mathematics Education (angelavc.wordpress.com)
- Shame, Anxiety, and Mathematics (angelavc.wordpress.com)
