What if we taught math differently? | Darien Ahmadizadeh | TEDxAlbany

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[Music] thank you everyone for coming I’m really

thank you everyone for coming I’m really

thank you everyone for coming I’m really under Section E okay when you think

under Section E okay when you think

under Section E okay when you think about your childhood math class what’s

about your childhood math class what’s

about your childhood math class what’s the first thing that comes to mind well

the first thing that comes to mind well

the first thing that comes to mind well words that are often affiliated with

words that are often affiliated with

words that are often affiliated with math are boring difficult and my

math are boring difficult and my

math are boring difficult and my personal favorite useless but what if I

personal favorite useless but what if I

personal favorite useless but what if I told you all the hate for math can be

told you all the hate for math can be

told you all the hate for math can be solved eight years ago when I was five I

solved eight years ago when I was five I

solved eight years ago when I was five I developed my own passion for math the

developed my own passion for math the

developed my own passion for math the cause was my brother Daniel he was 17 at

cause was my brother Daniel he was 17 at

cause was my brother Daniel he was 17 at that time and one day he decided to

that time and one day he decided to

that time and one day he decided to teach me some basic arithmetic I loved

teach me some basic arithmetic I loved

teach me some basic arithmetic I loved it we did more and more and more next

it we did more and more and more next

it we did more and more and more next was subtraction than multiplication and

was subtraction than multiplication and

was subtraction than multiplication and then even division

then even division

then even division he taught me math differently in the

he taught me math differently in the

he taught me math differently in the sense that he related the arithmetic to

sense that he related the arithmetic to

sense that he related the arithmetic to things I really liked such as amount of

things I really liked such as amount of

things I really liked such as amount of beats per measure I to play my piano

beats per measure I to play my piano

beats per measure I to play my piano song or the shortest amount of moves to

song or the shortest amount of moves to

song or the shortest amount of moves to checkmate another person but my peers in

checkmate another person but my peers in

checkmate another person but my peers in my kindergarten class did not share the

my kindergarten class did not share the

my kindergarten class did not share the same excitement when the teacher wanted

same excitement when the teacher wanted

same excitement when the teacher wanted to start teaching addition they were all

to start teaching addition they were all

to start teaching addition they were all bored and want to switch back to drawing

bored and want to switch back to drawing

bored and want to switch back to drawing with their crayons but even at 5:00 a

with their crayons but even at 5:00 a

with their crayons but even at 5:00 a typical kid schedule includes tons of

typical kid schedule includes tons of

typical kid schedule includes tons of math possibly they play baseball and

math possibly they play baseball and

math possibly they play baseball and they need to know the statistics of the

they need to know the statistics of the

they need to know the statistics of the amount of hits they had or they need to

amount of hits they had or they need to

amount of hits they had or they need to see if they could afford a lollipop at

see if they could afford a lollipop at

see if they could afford a lollipop at their local supermarket with their

their local supermarket with their

their local supermarket with their weekly allowance math is a language a

weekly allowance math is a language a

weekly allowance math is a language a form of communication and a form of

form of communication and a form of

form of communication and a form of problem-solving it is unfortunate that

problem-solving it is unfortunate that

problem-solving it is unfortunate that students are bored and disengaged about

students are bored and disengaged about

students are bored and disengaged about this form of art the dislike for math is

this form of art the dislike for math is

this form of art the dislike for math is not entirely the students or teachers

not entirely the students or teachers

not entirely the students or teachers faults however the mathematical

faults however the mathematical

faults however the mathematical curriculum in the United States has been

curriculum in the United States has been

curriculum in the United States has been the same for a hundred plus years well

the same for a hundred plus years well

the same for a hundred plus years well imagine you’re ten and in social studies

imagine you’re ten and in social studies

imagine you’re ten and in social studies class you would not want to learn in the

class you would not want to learn in the

class you would not want to learn in the same way that your grandparents learned

same way that your grandparents learned

same way that your grandparents learned when they were your age this is true

when they were your age this is true

when they were your age this is true because in social studies the curriculum

because in social studies the curriculum

because in social studies the curriculum is about current events

is about current events

is about current events students are learning what is happening

students are learning what is happening

students are learning what is happening in the world around them besides a

in the world around them besides a

in the world around them besides a classroom and they’re learning how it

classroom and they’re learning how it

classroom and they’re learning how it will impact them in their later lives in

will impact them in their later lives in

will impact them in their later lives in science that same class it’s not just

science that same class it’s not just

science that same class it’s not just learning about cell components in their

learning about cell components in their

learning about cell components in their black and white 1980s textbook but

black and white 1980s textbook but

black and white 1980s textbook but they’re using virtual reality I

personally never enjoyed math class I

personally never enjoyed math class I thought it was boring and that I

thought it was boring and that I

thought it was boring and that I wouldn’t have a purpose in my later life

wouldn’t have a purpose in my later life

wouldn’t have a purpose in my later life so what’s the point right well I had a

so what’s the point right well I had a

so what’s the point right well I had a great older brother to learn math from

great older brother to learn math from

great older brother to learn math from in a fun way

in a fun way

in a fun way but what if you do not have a great

but what if you do not have a great

but what if you do not have a great older brother teaching you math as a kid

older brother teaching you math as a kid

older brother teaching you math as a kid like me that’s okay

like me that’s okay

like me that’s okay students will learn math better if

students will learn math better if

students will learn math better if they’re taught what the point of what

they’re taught what the point of what

they’re taught what the point of what they’re learning is or how they will use

they’re learning is or how they will use

they’re learning is or how they will use it in other situations like baseball and

it in other situations like baseball and

it in other situations like baseball and supermarkets students kids educators and

supermarkets students kids educators and

supermarkets students kids educators and parents all you know that the only

parents all you know that the only

parents all you know that the only fields of math is not a math teacher or

fields of math is not a math teacher or

fields of math is not a math teacher or a mathematician but there are many other

a mathematician but there are many other

a mathematician but there are many other careers too some non-obvious ones

careers too some non-obvious ones

careers too some non-obvious ones include becoming a pilot or a jewelry

include becoming a pilot or a jewelry

include becoming a pilot or a jewelry designer or a computer programmer all of

designer or a computer programmer all of

designer or a computer programmer all of these fields require high proficiency in

these fields require high proficiency in

these fields require high proficiency in mathematics math class and the

mathematics math class and the

mathematics math class and the curriculum can be transformed into

curriculum can be transformed into

curriculum can be transformed into something fun and a class where students

something fun and a class where students

something fun and a class where students are excited to be in unfortunately it’s

are excited to be in unfortunately it’s

are excited to be in unfortunately it’s easier said than done to change a

easier said than done to change a

easier said than done to change a hundred-plus your old system but I’m not

hundred-plus your old system but I’m not

hundred-plus your old system but I’m not going to let that go as part of my

going to let that go as part of my

going to let that go as part of my generation I want to make the world a

generation I want to make the world a

generation I want to make the world a better place and this can be as simple

better place and this can be as simple

better place and this can be as simple as transforming those uninteresting

as transforming those uninteresting

as transforming those uninteresting words that are often affiliated with

words that are often affiliated with

words that are often affiliated with math into words like exciting simple and

math into words like exciting simple and

math into words like exciting simple and useful teachers need simple yet powerful

useful teachers need simple yet powerful

useful teachers need simple yet powerful tactics for their students who love math

tactics for their students who love math

tactics for their students who love math possibly they could have their class

possibly they could have their class

possibly they could have their class outdoors or they can relate the topic of

outdoors or they can relate the topic of

outdoors or they can relate the topic of what they’re teaching to nature or

what they’re teaching to nature or

what they’re teaching to nature or weather applications of math and nature

weather applications of math and nature

weather applications of math and nature for example are endless plants are

for example are endless plants are

for example are endless plants are linked with the numbers one two three

linked with the numbers one two three

linked with the numbers one two three five eight and thirteen this series is

five eight and thirteen this series is

five eight and thirteen this series is called the Fibonacci sequence and what

called the Fibonacci sequence and what

called the Fibonacci sequence and what it states is that the two previous

it states is that the two previous

it states is that the two previous numbers adds up to the next it starts

numbers adds up to the next it starts

numbers adds up to the next it starts with 1 and 1 this adds up to 2

with 1 and 1 this adds up to 2

with 1 and 1 this adds up to 2 1 & 2 add up to 3 2 & 3 add up to 5 and

1 & 2 add up to 3 2 & 3 add up to 5 and

1 & 2 add up to 3 2 & 3 add up to 5 and so on look at any plan or any flower

so on look at any plan or any flower

so on look at any plan or any flower like daisies oranges or pineapples count

like daisies oranges or pineapples count

like daisies oranges or pineapples count the number of petals or the way the

the number of petals or the way the

the number of petals or the way the leaves are arranged you will find them

leaves are arranged you will find them

leaves are arranged you will find them set out into threes fives eights or 13s

set out into threes fives eights or 13s

set out into threes fives eights or 13s look at this plant on the left-hand side

look at this plant on the left-hand side

look at this plant on the left-hand side of your screen contains 3 petals

of your screen contains 3 petals

of your screen contains 3 petals Fibonacci number or this orange on the

Fibonacci number or this orange on the

Fibonacci number or this orange on the right-hand side contains 13 triangular

right-hand side contains 13 triangular

right-hand side contains 13 triangular wedges also if avinash number pineapples

wedges also if avinash number pineapples

wedges also if avinash number pineapples are usually found that they contain 5 8

are usually found that they contain 5 8

are usually found that they contain 5 8 or 13 growth lines all Fibonacci numbers

another tactic is to relate the topic of

another tactic is to relate the topic of what teachers are teaching and to what

what teachers are teaching and to what

what teachers are teaching and to what students enjoy outside of the classroom

students enjoy outside of the classroom

students enjoy outside of the classroom using patterns like the Fibonacci

using patterns like the Fibonacci

using patterns like the Fibonacci sequence or relating the topic to

sequence or relating the topic to

sequence or relating the topic to students hobbies or interests students

students hobbies or interests students

students hobbies or interests students become more engaged with what they’re

become more engaged with what they’re

become more engaged with what they’re learning mad you’re driving a Tesla

learning mad you’re driving a Tesla

learning mad you’re driving a Tesla electric car I’m pretty darn sure Elon

electric car I’m pretty darn sure Elon

electric car I’m pretty darn sure Elon Musk you know a thing or two about math

Musk you know a thing or two about math

Musk you know a thing or two about math or using Google search to look up cat

or using Google search to look up cat

or using Google search to look up cat memes Millennials well the head

memes Millennials well the head

memes Millennials well the head engineers at Google surely need some

engineers at Google surely need some

engineers at Google surely need some math too and therefore how we learn the

math too and therefore how we learn the

math too and therefore how we learn the applications of math impact how we

applications of math impact how we

applications of math impact how we perceive this field of study the more

perceive this field of study the more

perceive this field of study the more real-world and tangible math can become

real-world and tangible math can become

real-world and tangible math can become the more fun social and exciting it

the more fun social and exciting it

the more fun social and exciting it becomes in the classroom whether your

becomes in the classroom whether your

becomes in the classroom whether your student or an educator

student or an educator

student or an educator together we can revolutionize the

together we can revolutionize the

together we can revolutionize the dislike for math one real-world math

dislike for math one real-world math

dislike for math one real-world math problem at the time thank you