Working with children and young people?

Chris Budd and Sara Santos

The challenge:

Maths is often perceived by young people as …

Dull, boring, uncool, irrelevant, only done by nerdsBut ..

Young people are the mathematicians of the future and can often be very excited about maths

The opportunity .. There are 17000 primary and 3,000 maintained secondary schools, in the UK with 7 000 000 pupils

How can we enrich their mathematical experience?

Maths Masterclasses .. How everyone can get involved

• Saturday morning classes for young people

• Mixture of talk and workshops

• Based in a university, linked to local schools

• Huge variety of topics eg. Mazes*, codes*, deep sea diving, dancing

* Involve sex and violence!

RI Classes founded by

Christopher Zeeman

How a typical KS3 masterclass works

• 10am: Arrive

• 10-10.30am: Talk 1

• 10.30-11am: Workshop 1

• 11am-11.15am: Refreshments

• 11.15am-11.45am: Talk 2

• 11.45am-12.15pm: Workshop 2

• 12.15pm-12.30pm: Conclusions

• 12.30pm: Depart

Repeat over 6-8 sessions

Other ways to get involved with children and young people

• Direct engagement with schools .. Widening participation

• MOTIVATE video conferences

• Writing text books

• INTERNET … Plus Maths, Cipher Challenge, MMP, NRICH

• Maths Inspiration

(Rob Eastaway)

Science fairs

Traditionally maths is under represented at fairs

Eg. Cheltenham .. Only one maths event!

But the British Science Festival now has a number of maths events .. 2009 Maths of Origami

Bath Taps Into Science … 1/3 of exhibits are maths

Involving Undergraduates

• Undergraduate Ambassadors Scheme UAS: Simon Singh

• Bath ‘Maths Communicators’:

15 Students do a Masterclass, take part in Bath Taps, take a school lesson and do a written activity

All for degree credit

• MMG, HE-STEM

What works?

Almost anything, provided it is done with energy, enthusiasm and commitment.

An enormous amount of maths can be put over if it is done well and relates to the young people directly

How to get involved .. Basically just go for it .. It’s great fun and brings great rewards

Some organisations to team up with

• HE-STEM … Michael Grove

• RI : Maths Masterclasses … Sara Santos

• MMP/MOTIVATE … Jenny Gage

• STEMNET

• LMS (Holgate), IMA (Popular lecturers)