Reading option A:
Leslie Dietiker: What Mathematics Education Can Learn from Art: The Assumptions, Values, and Vision of Mathematics Education
Summary:
In this article, Dietiker draws on Eisner’s (2002) proposal of applying an artful lens to educational challenges and re-imagines the mathematics curriculum as a form of art. She argues that traditional mathematics instruction often follows predictable, standardized structures that can feel uninspiring and limit imagination. Instead, Dietiker invites educators to view mathematics learning as an art form that can spark creativity, insight, and renewed ways of seeing. She also suggests conceptualizing mathematics lessons as stories, intentionally crafted experiences rather than instructional manuals, to create richer and more engaging learning opportunities for students.
Stop 1: “ Mathematical aesthetic can generally be understood to be an individual's response to a mathematical experience, such as a sense of fit of a possible pattern or insight into an underlying structure of a particular problem.”
This made me pause to think about what mathematical aesthetics really means. Many people may not naturally associate mathematics with aesthetics or art, so I appreciated this explanation. Framing mathematical aesthetics as an individual’s response to a mathematical experience highlights the personal and experiential nature of learning mathematics. Rather than focusing solely on correct answers or outcomes, this perspective shifts attention toward the process, the moments of insight, and the feelings that arise when a pattern “fits” or a structure becomes clear. I think this approach has the potential to make mathematics more engaging and meaningful for students, especially those who struggle with viewing math as rigid or purely procedural.
Stop 2: “Interpreting mathematics as a story repositions mathematics curriculum from an instruction manual or a collection of facts to a form of art, intentionally crafted to offer aesthetic experiences for a set of students, whether positive or negative.”
The idea of conceptualizing mathematics lessons as stories resonated strongly with me. It reminded me of a course I took on teaching with illustrated materials, where one assignment involved creating a math concept book focused on patterns in nature. The book introduced foundational math ideas in a way that felt natural, engaging, and age-appropriate, particularly for students in Kindergarten to Grade 2. Connecting this experience back to Dietiker’s argument, I agree that integrating storytelling and artistic elements into math instruction can create meaningful aesthetic experiences. These experiences may help students see mathematics as something alive and connected to the world around them, rather than a set of isolated rules or procedures.
Discussion questions:
What might it look like to intentionally design a mathematics lesson around creating an aesthetic experience, rather than focusing primarily on efficiency or coverage of content?
In what ways could viewing mathematics as a story or art form challenge traditional expectations of what “good” math teaching looks like?
Sukie, thank you for your post! It makes me want to read this article and is opening up new ways of thinking about mathematics for me. I have never thought about math as an aesthetic experience, nor have I considered math as a story or art form.
ReplyDeleteMy first reaction is that imagining math this way makes it feel somehow lighter. If I think of math as an aesthetic experience, it becomes about seeing and feeling the experience of doing the math. My first instinct is to believe that I would design lessons focused on creating—creating patterns out of materials, building things, and exposing math through play. I would also allow more time and let go of the timetable, because discovery doesn't have a timeline.
At the same time, it feels like a huge undertaking. How can I design learning experiences that will elicit mathematical understanding through the intuition of my students and myself? I suppose this is where balance comes in—we both experience and experiment, and then also bring ideas to a more concrete level.
Interestingly, I am more of an intuitive learner, and I can't always explain the why behind what I know or how I solved a problem. Does that make it any less valid? I do know that not having the time to explore an idea can make living intuitively tough. Your post has me reimagining what's possible when we give students—and ourselves—permission to experience math differently.
Wow. Great questions to which I don't presently have clear answers. I'm presently looking at how to integrate story with mathematics. One of the directions my school district is taking is an emphasis on problem solving. To me, this directly connects to story and reminding us that math is not just a set of problems on paper, but naturally exists as a way to solve a problem in real life.
ReplyDeleteI really like the idea Kristie had about how this really lightens the way math feels. Adds a sense of whimsy that is not typically associated with the subject.
My challenge is framing it in a way where I am covering curriculum, but also exposing my students to authentic, rich mathematical experiences. These two ideas do not need to be in opposition, but often can be seen that way.
I'm loving the ideas of "just add one thing" per unit of study, or per month. Start slow in order to build your own repertoire.
Thanks Sukie, Kristie M. and Amanda! The idea of a mathematical aesthetic generates so many new thoughts about how we could teach math, not only for 'industrial efficiency', but for the artful satisfaction of things "feeling fitting".
ReplyDeleteKristie, I think we can still work within large general timeframes while being playful and intuitive, but we need to soften our timetabling to allow for exploration and discovery -- and be satisfied if things are not absolutely completed at the end of, say, an hour, but go on beyond the hours of a particular class (in people's thoughts and embodied experiments at home, on the playground, etc.) Amanda, I really like hearing your thoughts about starting slowly and gradually!