November 14-16, 2025

My key takeaway from the conference was discovering new strategies to build students’ math fluency and diversify their learning. The goal is to encourage deeper comprehension, helping students realize that math is far more than simply applying formulas to get an answer. A prime example of this is Dr. Cathy Marks Krpan’s Concept Circles, which empower students to explore mathematical concepts openly and promote multiple problem-solving approaches.

November 15-17, 2024

The key insight I gained from the conference was Sunil Singh’s explanation of “unrecognized cultural genius.” He discussed how mainstream society often exploits the innovations of other cultures, benefiting from their technological advancements without acknowledging the brilliance behind them. Mr. Singh used the example of fractal geometry to highlight this issue. Fractals, a concept that has been central to many African cultures for thousands of years, serve as the foundation for modern technologies like cell phones and the internet. When Europeans first encountered fractals, they dismissed them as primitive.  The “discovery” of fractals is even sometimes credited to European mathematicians. Understanding this history is crucial for teaching fractals correctly and recognizing the contributions of the cultures that originally developed them.

This idea inspired our choice of topic for our math presentation last fall: “Culturally Responsive Mathematics.” We explored the Kaktovik number system, developed by Inuit students in Alaska. They created symbols for their traditional base-20 math system, designing a number system that is not only highly intuitive but also transforms basic operations like addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division into visual problems.