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In this note we explain the importance of clarity and give other tips for mathematical writing. Some of it is mildly opinionated, but most is just common sense and experience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we, a group of graduate students in mathematics education, discuss some of the metacognitive benefits of the non-traditional teaching methods we observed employed by one of our professors. This professor's methods challenge the common belief that well-managed class time is key for positive learning outcomes. Instead, he orients his teaching to share the exploration and sense-making phases of doing mathematics. The goal of his teaching is to share the idea that learning mathematics is a process of "refining our mathematical thinking". We argue that this approach to teaching helps students see that mathematics is a human endeavor, appreciate the cycles of learning mathematics and the importance of struggle throughout the process, and gain some insight on what it means to be an expert in mathematics. We encourage teachers and professors to move away from obsessing about structured, well-organized class time, and to instead move towards having flexible and risk-oriented class time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Not everyone is a great artist, but we don't often hear, "I dislike art." Most people are able to appreciate visual arts, music and sports, without necessarily excelling in it themselves. On the other hand, the phrase "I dislike math" is widely prevalent. This is especially ironic in our current society, where mathematics affects our day-to-day activities in essential ways such as e-commerce and e-mail. This paper describes the opportunity to popularize mathematics by focusing on its fun and creative aspects, and illustrates this opportunity through a brief discussion of interdisciplinary topics that expose the beauty, elegance and value of mathematics within and beyond the typical K-16 curriculum. We share practical outreach methods inspired by real mathematics, and our experience with a liberal-arts 'math for poets' course which aims to develop math appreciation without losing its rigor or depth. While many of us are not comfortable doing live performances or making fancy videos, we all can use these methods to encourage a more positive mindset about mathematics in our communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A steward of the discipline was originally defined as an individual to whom "we can entrust the vigor, quality, and integrity of the field", and more specifically, as "someone who will creatively generate new knowledge, critically conserve valuable and useful ideas, and responsibly transform those understandings through writing, teaching, and application" [8]. Originally articulated for doctoral education, in 2019 the construct of stewardship was expanded so that it can also be applied to non-academic practitioners in any field, and can be initiated earlier than doctoral education [18]. In this paper we apply this construct to the context of mathematics and argue that even for those early in their training in mathematics, stewardly practice of mathematics can be introduced and practiced. Postsecondary and tertiary education in mathematics -- for future mathematicians as well as those who will use math at work -- can include curriculum-spanning training, and documented achievement in stewardship. Even before a formal ethical practice standard for mathematics is developed and deployed to help inculcate math students with a "tacit responsibility for the quality and integrity of their own work", higher education can begin to shape student attitudes towards stewardly professional identities. Learning objectives to accomplish this are described, to assist math instructors in facilitating the recognition and acceptance of responsibility for the quality and integrity of their own work and that of colleagues in the practice of mathematics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper we discuss the happiness of preservice elementary teachers (PSTs). Several times throughout a mathematics content capstone course, PSTs responded to prompts in which they described times from their past schooling experiences or during the course in which they experienced happiness or unhappiness in learning mathematics. Through thematic analysis, we examined their common experiences related to happiness and their mathematics learning. We found that PSTs’ happiness is related to expectations of themselves, their teachers, their peers, and mathematics itself. The study illuminates PST beliefs about mathematics teaching, collaborative group work, and the nature of mathematical understanding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

On May 12th, Brazil and the world said goodbye to one of its biggest names in mathematics education, Ubiratan D’Ambrosio (December 8, 1932 – May 12, 2021). D’Ambrosio is recognized both throughout Brazil and internationally for having been the creator of ethnomathematics, a concept that acknowledges, values, and respects different mathematical ideas, procedures, and practices developed by the members of distinct cultural groups. D’Ambrosio analyzed the history of explanations of life and of natural evolution in different cultures. In the last years, his motivation had been the pursuit of peace, in all its four dimensions: individual, social, environmental, and military. In this paper we pay homage to Ubiratan D’Ambrosio, sharing our thoughts related to his personal, professional, and academic life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

I discuss the role of intuitive explanations in the learning, teaching, and popularization of mathematics. Several examples of such explanations are presented, related to linguistic explanations, perception, empirical models, and internal explanations inside mathematics itself. I emphasize the fact that intuitive explanations in a sense transgress mere mathematical arguments. I also discuss in brief the role of paradox resolution in mathematical education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The notion of d'epaysement 'epist'emologique (epistemological disorientation) aims to capture the sense of disorientation when a learner is led to question their prior assumptions and understandings, generating uncertainty in a context in which they thought they had certain knowledge. This article describes an activity used with a group of practicing mathematics teachers in Uruguay that integrates elements of the history of mathematics related to Gödel's incompleteness theorem, with the aim of provoking in the participants the experience of d'epaysement 'epist'emologique. Results show that several of the teachers participating in the activity felt d'epaysement 'epist'emologique, and this feeling triggered empathy towards their own students. The article ends with a discussion of the real possibilities of integrating the history of mathematics in secondary mathematics courses and in the training of teachers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Anneli Lax (1922-1999) was my mentor and thesis advisor at New York University in the late 1980s. I was fortunate to be included among her circle of friends and collaborators in the ensuing years. Dr. Lax made important contributions to mathematics and mathematics education. This article describes her pioneering work in promoting good exposition of elementary mathematics in support of mathematics and its pedagogy. The design and implementation of her views illustrate her indefatigable spirit and impressive work ethic for causes she championed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Inspired by Brent Davis' conceptualization of listening and conversation in his book Teaching Mathematics: Toward a Sound Alternative, we propose how we as a mathematics education community may move forward by continuing in the conversation that emerged from COVID. We encourage all involved to listen rather than assume a discussion-oriented stance. Using an enactivist lens, we look at the pandemic learning space, give an overview of the education conversation that emerged in Ontario, and offer a way to rethink Mathematics Education within the frame of a conversation. We believe that if mathematics education is to engage learners in a meaningful way, sustaining the progress made in mathematics education, all stakeholders should embrace the changing context of our network within the environment and interact through listening. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In mathematics class, violence is carried out in some usually not recognized situations. In this article, I share some reflections on the topic inspired by some passages of Totality and Infinity, work of the French-Lithuanian philosopher Emmanuel Levinas (1906-1995). I find violence by the teacher in not promoting students' understanding of mathematics, in a distorted use of rhetoric, and in interrupting an ethical relation. This article analyses situations taken from class activities, focusing on the teacher's presentation of mathematical content and students' interventions. I also propose that the improvement of interventions in mathematics education is possible and suggest theoretical ideas for acting on situations of violence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We argue that scholars and practitioners of mathematics education need to find new directions through recognition of its dystopic characteristics, and embrace these characteristics as both the source of challenges and method of response. This contrasts with the generally utopic approach of most scholarship in the field. We offer critical ethnomathematics education as a model, since it has its own origins in lingering dystopic legacies. A perpetual hopelessness and disempowerment is one implicit curriculum of contemporary mathematics education, where the mathematics one learns might help to describe things, yet hardly assists in transforming the reification of power and agency in society. Embracing dystopia rather than trying to circumvent it generates new questions and pathways. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]