The Making Mathematicians Podcast

In this episode we discuss Mathematics for Human Flourishing by Francis Su. Real mathematics has so much more value than being able to pass a standardized test. Our discussion of this book examines the virtues of human flourishing, and how math both teaches and requires the development of these virtues, including overcoming barriers that can prevent the mathematical community from being a welcomin...

If you started drawing straight, non-parallel lines on a flat plane, how many times would or could they intersect? Welcome to Math Club, where we actively do real math–– the kind you can do with your kids. In this episode we showcase a real math question, how it can be simplified or expanded to meet our level of understanding or focus, and how to go about solving it! Find the Making Mathematicians...

In this episode we discuss Uncle Petros and Goldbach's Conjecture by Apostolos Doxiadis. Our discussion includes exploring the ideas it raises about being a mathematician, the obsessive artist, working on open questions and dead ends, finding different approaches, and more. Find the Making Mathematicians course at makingmathematicians.org Have a question you want us to explore? Drop a comment...

Real math, unbound by curricula, has so many opportunities to match the creative constraints and needs of the student. In this episode we discuss strategies for learning and teaching real math while meeting varying needs, such as students with dyscalculia. Find the Making Mathematicians course at makingmathematicians.org Have a question you want us to explore? Drop a comment or email us at team@ma...

We were raised to think of math like a rigid tower, with each formula a brick to raise us up to the next level. In this episode we discuss how math spreads out, not just up, and how we can explore so much more effectively if we ditch the linear math myth. Find the Making Mathematicians course at makingmathematicians.org Have a question you want us to explore? Drop a comment or email us at team@mak...

The number one question parents ask us is whether learning real math will still help their kids pass standardized tests for college and the more urgently approaching yearly state homeschool evaluations. Yes! In this episode we discuss why a profound understanding of real math (perhaps sprinkled with a smattering of test-taking skills) prepares kids so much better than curriculum-style formula math...

What if the math question you're working on is unsolvable or beyond your current capacity? When do you "give up" or how do you move past getting stuck? Exploring real math is inevitably going to expose you to exciting ideas that are perfect to engage with, but which might be more complex than you can solve at the time. In this episode we discuss strategies for dealing with those ques...

Do you want to help your kids do real math but feel overwhelmed? Where do you start? In this episode we discuss how to start with ourselves as parents, to detox from years of curriculum conditioning, and then take the first steps in exploring real math. Find the Making Mathematicians course at makingmathematicians.org Have a question you want us to explore? Drop a comment or email us at team@makin...