Why am I all about chalk and t-shirts this summer?

I need to let this out of the bag.

This summer, I have had two things on my mind more than they probably should be:

1. using sidewalk chalk
2. buying t-shirts

Why? Hang on.

First here’s some of what I’ve done with the chalk:

And these are the t-shirts that I have bought:

Through both the chalk and shirts, I’ve found myself publicly advocating for math like I never have. Obviously, I’ve always been a proponent of math in my classroom, but now through what I subtly wear and create on the pavement in my neighborhood (and around my school), I’ve found myself attempting to transfer this passion more broadly…to the general public.

With the awakening of my social conscience during these last few years, I am more mindful of the damaging stereotypes and inequities that exist in and around the culture of learning math. Far too many people in society are put off with math as being a cold, lonely subject that is reserved for the elite. The reasons for this vary, but, as a math teacher, I think I am really coming to grips with the responsibility I have in reversing this trend, even if most of my effort goes unnoticed. There’s something bubbling up inside me to find and create small, practical ways to promote math as an accessible, friendly science…that go beyond the scope of my classroom.

It’s a very steep mountain to climb, but the hope with both the sidewalk math and my new t-shirts is to promote equity, access, and exposure to math in unique ways and to spark meaningful conversations about math (potentially with perfect strangers). Along with this comes helping to shift the mindset of how other people (young and old) view learning math and their own mathematical value.

I’d like to think it has worked…as both the chalk and shirts have elicited reactions from people I’ve encountered this summer. Two other teachers even liked my t-shirt so much that I went ahead and got them one. I guess that’s a good thing.

Come to think of it, this is really no different from Sara VanDerWerf’s call for math teachers to identify themselves evangelists.

bp