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Total Update
Apr. 8th, 2015 12:27 pmMoving to the west coast has definitely worked out well. I currently make a living by teaching for 1-2 different math circle programs every weekday. And the number of circles in the Bay Area is growing: three of the programs I teach for are brand new, and there are plans for more next year. I'm working most extensively with the San Francisco Math Circle (SFMC), which, at present, means teaching for both their middle and elementary programs. SFMC also makes two Math Circles that are, this year, each running their first summer program. The other is Berkeley Math Circle. I'm teaching for both in the month before SPMPS.
The other projects that I'm most excited about right now are:
* Running a public "Carnival of Mathematics" at the end of this Month through SFMC.
* I'm creating some activity content for MSRI/FirstBook. The 5 kids/young-adult books that I'm designing activity materials for are very inspiring. One math history project is themed on "Mathematical Rebels" -- Mathematicians who pushed against the status quo either for a social cause or for a mathematical one.
* I'm making the best 30 sessions from all of my circles this past year into more polished packages that other teachers would be able to use. (In particular, the Rosa Parks afterschool program has asked me to create these and to help train another instructor or two so that the program can expand to more days and sessions than I can take on myself.)
* I've recruited 4 new math circle teachers to take over some of my sessions (with each school's permission). Each new recruit is to design and polish one topic of their own choosing, teaching it for times at four different programs and iteratively developing it on the way. I'm paying these instructors, both for the sessions they take on and additionally for the content-work. And my hope is that this will grow into a larger funnel for pulling more instructors into the math circle community.
* I'm also excited about Proof School's progress. I didn't apply as an instructor, but I do want to connect more with them, which right now means collecting a giant list of math-focused programs in the Bay Area for their website.
Altogether, I'm just about at critical capacity for math circle projects. I've also been making furniture for my and my housemates' apartment. And I made it out to Inyo National Park for two weeks with a friend to study geology over winter break -- that was amazing!
In short, I'm loving living in California so far. I don't think there's anywhere else in the world (yet!) where I could make a full-time living teaching for Math Circles this way.
The other projects that I'm most excited about right now are:
* Running a public "Carnival of Mathematics" at the end of this Month through SFMC.
* I'm creating some activity content for MSRI/FirstBook. The 5 kids/young-adult books that I'm designing activity materials for are very inspiring. One math history project is themed on "Mathematical Rebels" -- Mathematicians who pushed against the status quo either for a social cause or for a mathematical one.
* I'm making the best 30 sessions from all of my circles this past year into more polished packages that other teachers would be able to use. (In particular, the Rosa Parks afterschool program has asked me to create these and to help train another instructor or two so that the program can expand to more days and sessions than I can take on myself.)
* I've recruited 4 new math circle teachers to take over some of my sessions (with each school's permission). Each new recruit is to design and polish one topic of their own choosing, teaching it for times at four different programs and iteratively developing it on the way. I'm paying these instructors, both for the sessions they take on and additionally for the content-work. And my hope is that this will grow into a larger funnel for pulling more instructors into the math circle community.
* I'm also excited about Proof School's progress. I didn't apply as an instructor, but I do want to connect more with them, which right now means collecting a giant list of math-focused programs in the Bay Area for their website.
Altogether, I'm just about at critical capacity for math circle projects. I've also been making furniture for my and my housemates' apartment. And I made it out to Inyo National Park for two weeks with a friend to study geology over winter break -- that was amazing!
In short, I'm loving living in California so far. I don't think there's anywhere else in the world (yet!) where I could make a full-time living teaching for Math Circles this way.
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