PME-NA at the Peppermill in Reno, NV

Today I woke up early to fly to Reno, NV.  Like 4:30AM early.  The North American Chapter of the International Group for the Psychology of Mathematics Education, also known as PME-NA (#OleMissAtPME).  I am presenting a poster on my dissertation study, which I titled Teaching Mathematics as Agape: Articulating an ideal relationship between students and mathematics.  Basically it is an equity focus on mathematics that begins with agape, or unconditional love.

Something that I am coming to realize is that proving is a core practice of mathematics (duh) and that it should also be a core practice of teaching mathematics as agape.  Dr. David Reid communicated, in his plenary talk, a vision of proof-based teaching and if I want teaching mathematics as agape to be a means for students to analyze, question and improve their world I want them to have the practice of proving to do that well…more to come.

Also what I am seeing is that a lot of problems exist in people trying to give presentations.  People don’t know their machines and the AV systems well enough to do seamless presentations.  Audiences are distracted by the problems and ideas are lost, and arguments lose their power.