Paul Salomon
Website: paulsalomon.com
MA Pure Mathematics | CUNY - Hunter College
BA Mathematics | Lawrence University Teacher and Graduate | John Burroughs School NY Times Numberplay contributor Co-author of Math Munch Mathematical Artist TEDx Speaker |
Art of Math STL is just me, for now.
It's my way of sharing the beautiful math with Saint Louis. Some of my earliest math memories took place in the library at Conway Elementary, where after school I used a ruler and protractor to design beautiful, mathematical patterns. Math features a lovely sort of interplay between numbers, shapes, and patterns, and playing with all three opened the world of math to me. Using math playfully taught me a lot and helped me feel confident about my math ability. In class I was able to listen and really think without feeling anxious or insecure.
I knew early on that I wanted to teach, and I know now that I've made the right choice. Doing math with kids, I feel completely alive. I've come to understand that we are all born with deeply mathematical instincts, and I do everything I can to keep that fire going in the minds of my students. Far too often, math class has a way of putting out that fire and replacing it with something dull and frustrating. Reading Paul Lockhart's A Mathematician's Lament, I was reminded how delightful math is; what it means to really do math; and "how our schools have cheated us of our most fascinating and imaginative art form" — the art of mathematics. I was lucky enough to teach with Paul Lockhart at Saint Ann's School in Brooklyn and be part of a department that was given free reign to create the best possible math experiences for kids. I made a habit of finding the most wonderful problems, puzzles, and mathematical games I could, and putting them right into the hands of my students. In return, my students came alive. At Saint Ann's, I also cofounded a mathematical art program that brought immense creative joy to hundreds of students through analyzing and creating art that was informed or inspired by math. Earning a masters degree at the City University of New York exposed me to some incredible advanced mathematics, but it also reminded me that most of our students spend too much time learning math they don't enjoy and will soon forget, completely missing what is most delightful and appealing about the subject. Now that I've returned to Saint Louis, I want to share the real thing with the children of our city. I want to show them the art of math. |
