Dancing Euclidean Proof Reflection

I found myself reflecting on the powerful role the mind-body connection plays in cognitive learning, especially in mathematics. Movement can enhance cognitive engagement, and that I believe is a compelling force existing within everyone. Where physical actions represent abstract mathematical ideas, students' understanding of math concepts can be deepened. This connection between body and mind highlights how movement can serve as a bridge, making seemingly difficult concepts more accessible and memorable. 

Moreover, I think the reading resonates with my long-time belief that learning math is a process that requires engaging multiple senses. Using sight, touch, and sometimes sound to create a unique sensory experience. By turning mathematical steps into physical movements, students activate kinesthetic learning. I believe it is important for students to "feel" the math as they perform it. As taught by my pilates instructor, one only comes to a deep understanding of an art when being physically present in it. 

Given the growing popularity of choreography and dance among teens, particularly influenced by K-pop culture, I think incorporating dance into high school math lessons could be a good opportunity for future educators to build relevance with the student body. Many students are already familiar with choreography through social media and music videos. It is thus easier for us to seek ways to create connections between their interests and mat. I could collaborate with students to create routines that represent various math concepts, like function transformations. This would make math learning a lot more interactive. 

One potential setback would be that students with physical disabilities might feel left out because they cannot participate in these dancing activities. While trying to be creative in our classrooms, we should also remember to be inclusive and understanding of every individual around us. 

Assigment 2 reflection

My presentation on the Newton-Leibniz controversy was inspired by the current buzz around the Mike Tyson vs. Jake Paul debate. Hearing that the two collaborated behind the scenes to fool the internet and monetize their rivalry got me thinking about parallels in other fields. I wondered if mathematics had a similar story, and that led me to the debate between Newton and Leibniz over the invention of calculus. The historical rivalry between these two great minds revealed how conflict, whether genuine or manufactured, can sometimes serve as a driving force for innovation. I concluded my presentation with a positive takeaway: while rivalry can be contentious, it can also push the boundaries of what’s possible and lead to remarkable achievements.

This exploration of rivalry left me reflecting on its potential role in teaching. I’m curious about how this might play out in Vancouver high schools, where I’ll be teaching. My theory is that rivalry between teachers isn’t likely because every educator has their own unique strengths, and these differences cater to a variety of learners. For example, one teacher might excel at fostering curiosity through project-based learning, while another might shine in building confidence through structured skill-building. This diversity creates a collaborative, rather than competitive, environment. During my practicum visits, I have been noticing contrasting teaching styles of different instructors. Before then, I believed there was a golden standard of what an idea teacher should be following. But observing a wide variety of real life teachers in real time, I have new understanding of this subject matter.

An intriguing question from my classmate Jacob further inspired me: was there any money involved in the Newton-Leibniz controversy? While there’s no evidence of financial stakes, the question reminded me of how external motivations, like recognition or resources, might influence rivalries. 

Nov.6 reading responsee

One thing that struck me was how Eurocentrism in the history of mathematics continues to be reinforced even today. This brought to mind my middle school math teacher, who lamented the fact that the globally accepted origin of the Pythagorean theorem was primarily attributed to the West, while he believed it originated in China. Ancient Chinese texts refer to it as the *gou-gu* theorem, discovered by a teacher named Chen Zi and his student Rong Fang, although they were not widely acknowledged historically. Because non-European contributions have often been marginalized in the history of mathematics, potentially due to lost records or the failure to credit early math innovators, it is more important to educate students on the importance of math contributions from other cultures. Another aspect that surprised me was how non-European mathematical contributions continue to be overlooked in modern education systems. This remains true in current school curricula. For example, when I learned about Pascal’s triangle in high school, it was taught as a European discovery. Yet, mathematicians like the Chinese scholar Yang Hui made significant earlier contributions to this concept. Despite this, we never explored the diverse historical background of the triangle, leaving us with the impression that it had a singular European origin.