Summer of 2019: We Played Math

When Chris Brownell began writing our book, there was never any discussion about what should be our first and last chapters. None. It was beyond a tacit understanding. It was the only way Math Recess could reflect our most personal beliefs about math education. Everything in between became glue to bind those chapters.

Next month, I will doing my first TEDx Talk.

Both Chris and I understood — without communication — that the book had to speak to our hearts. And, that for us, staying within the theme of recess, one of the deep purposes of learning mathematics is friendship — much the same way music, food, sports, etc. facilitates human connections.

There is now a social endpoint to learning mathematics.

So, you can perhaps understand how the reception to Math Recess is very overwhelming to us, since our book ended on a most abstract idea of being human.

Only a few weeks after the release, Beth Maniaci from Ohio put out a call on Twitter to start a Slow Chat for our book.

And, then soon after that, Margie Pearse put together the details of this slow chat. The three moderators for this Slow Chat are going to be Beth Maniaci, Margie Pearse, and Rebecca Lynn. Neither Chris and I have met any of these women before.

Chris and I cannot wait to hear all the reflections about the book. And, we want to be right there to chime in on why we chose certain problems, why some chapters are challenging to the point of mental fatigue, what should be our next steps, etc.

What makes all this so warming and almost ineffable is that the **gift** of the Slow Chat came from others — but, who we are inextricably connected to through the joys of playful mathematics.

Over 20 years ago, I got married on this terrace in Santorini. Neither my wife or I picked this spot or had any arrangements to get married here. It was done spontaneously by the generosity of the owner of the hotel we were staying at. And we have never forgotten that. Whenever given an opportunity, we try to tell that story — especially when the owner himself spent 4 hours repainting the terrace the day before our wedding.

For me, and I know Chris as well, that is the same kind of energy that we feel is running through social media right now with regards to our book. Margie, Beth, and Rebecca have been making sure to welcome each and every person to the Slow Book Chat. Their collective energy reminds so much of that summer of 1997 — infectious generosity and kindness.

We can only imagine how wonderful and heartfelt the conversations will be. And, we also know, surfing the hopes of the last chapter, that some of you will become kindred spirits in creating an everlasting math journey.

Hopefully, somewhere down the road, that journey intersects with friendship, maybe a clanging of glasses, and laughing with a math problem or two…

Cheers to the Slow Chat of Math Recess this Summer:)