The Learning Curve

Peaceful classrooms with students working silently on fiendishly hard problems: that’s how we like it in secondary maths. Total tranquility save the gentle hum of mental cogs whirring ever faster. Perhaps an audible awed intake of breath, as the gravity of a problem is comprehended? A pearl of wisdom shared gently by a master, a quiet acknowledgement of delighted understanding from the ‘padawan.’ Calm restored, balance in the Force.

Such serenity was shattered on Thursday 14th March, the International Day of Mathematics. Like merry Ewoks, years 7, 8 & 9 engaged in bespoke mathematical treasure hunts. Quiet, it was not. There was singing. An ode to everyone’s favourite transcendental number, pi, could regrettably still be heard being belted out around school during break times. The younglings also tried their hand at reciting as many digits as possible of pi, an entirely irrational pursuit. One year 8 managed to correctly recall a remarkable 83 (eighty three) digits: the Force is strong in this one. Mathematical games of logic were played, and logic occasionally played a part. And there was yet more singing.

After this cacophony of maths, I confess that I required therapy. Fortunately there was a national maths competition on Saturday. In a peaceful classroom I spent 3 hours working silently on fiendishly hard maths problems: bliss.
 

David Derham
Mathematics teacher