Small Group Math Workshops

Jason has curated a collection of rich mathematical tasks that invite creativity, curiosity, and a sense of play. His exploratory instructional style allows every participant to feel successful, regardless of their confidence level with mathematics. At the same time, the tasks and puzzles provide opportunities for richness, depth, and discovery.

Math workshops typically meet for between four and eight 60-minute sessions. Topics generally target upper-elementary, middle, and high school mathematics concepts, though the focus is on exploration and discovery. Ample time will be allowed for problem-solving, experimentation, and the discussion of different approaches and observations with a small group of fellow learners.

Problem solving workshops...

During the summer of 2021, Jason offered workshops in the Problem Solving Strategies series. Each workshop introduced a helpful technique for tackling unfamiliar problems, and offered participants the opportunity to explore mathematical puzzles that have been curated to highlight the theme strategy.

Draw a Diagram. When we encounter a problem that we don’t immediately know how to solve, it can sometimes be helpful to draw a diagram, which allows the visual parts of our brain get more involved in the problem-solving process. This can help us to discover relationships and connections that might not have been clear at first.

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Make an Organized List. When we encounter a problem that may have multiple solutions, it is important for us to be systematic as we explore all of the options and configurations. What is the best way to organize a list of possible solutions? How will we know when we have found them all? How can we ensure that we don't overlook a solution, or accidentally count the same solution twice?

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Solve a Simpler Problem. Some problems are challenging because they use numbers that feel intimidating or overwhelming. In situations like this, it can often be helpful to find a new problem that is similar to the original, but which uses easier numbers. Solving the simpler problem may reveal a pattern or connection that we can use to tackle the original problem.

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Work Backwards. Some problems are challenging because we know where we would like to end up, but it might not be clear where we should begin or what process we should follow to get from the start to the finish. In cases like this, rather than muddle our way through from the beginning, it can be helpful to instead work backwards from the desired ending state.

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