Math-ish: Finding Creativity, Diversity, and Meaning in Mathematics

My three least favorite words in school were "Check your work." I was much too impatient to re-do work, especially long and complicated math problems. If I had known about ish-ing then, I could have avoided the dreaded repetition of work because I would have already done the estimating needed for me to give my work an informed gut check, learned more about math conceptually, and been more confident in my innate math abilities. A student who ishes has a HUGE advantage on standarized tests as well. I am continually impressed by Dr. Boaler's scholarship. This is a must-read and an impressive addition to Dr. Boaler's body of work.

I recently had the pleasure of reading "Math-ish" by Jo Boaler and I was truly impressed by the depth and insightfulness of the book. Boaler masterfully demystifies the world of mathematics, making it more accessible and relatable to people of all backgrounds. Her exploration of how math is intricately woven into our daily lives is both eye-opening and thought-provoking. Boaler challenges conventional beliefs about who can excel in math and offers valuable, practical strategies for educators and parents to foster a growth mindset in their students and children.Throughout the book, Boaler's passion for math education shines through, backed by a refreshing and compelling research-based approach. Her work is not only informative but also inspirational, urging readers to transform their relationship with math and empowering them to do the same for others. In essence, "Math-ish" is an essential read for anyone seeking to embark on a journey of redefining their connection with mathematics and helping others do the same.

Jo Boaler has done it again (and math education is better for it)!This book is equally valuable for teachers, parents, and really, for anyone who has learned mathematics the traditional (or "narrow") way where there is one right answer and one right approach. Not surprisingly, this type of mathematics education is what has caused multitudes of people to hate and to fear math and worst, believe that they are not a "math person" and just can't do it. This book introduces two important ideas: mathematical diversity and "ish"ing. In a mathematically diverse classroom, all strategies are considered and all thoughts are heard and valued. Although the end answer may be the same, the journey to that answer is the interesting conversation to have.Similarly, students become so focused on learning a process to an end answer that they often don't consider whether that answer is realistic or not. "Ish"ing models what we do in real life when confronted with many mathematical situations ("It's about 4 miles to the store" or "The temperature is in the mid 80s today"). By asking students to "ish" first, they gain comfortability with sharing their thoughts, knowing they are not wrong.Jo presents a cohesive plan to incorporate these ideas into the way we teach mathematics in a way that promotes a growth mindset. Her ideas are logical and inspiring and will make you wish you had been in this classroom in your student days!This book would be an ideal study for all math teachers at all levels as it truly promotes authentic learning in a safe environment where all students can learn successfully. The practice of "I do/we do/you do" is replaced with "thinking activity first, then fill in the mathematics". Endless lists of standards are compiled into big ideas, allowing students to fit each new piece of learning into the mental structures they have already created. Homework is recommissioned as reflections on what has been learned instead of a multitude of meaningless problems.If you are ready to rethink how you learn and teach mathematics, this is THE book to read this year!

Great approaches to make math accessible for those who feel or have experienced learned failure with math content. Many strategies to use in your classroom right away - including promoting reflection and a growth mindset.

An engaging and easy read. Beautifully done. Dr. Boaler does such a lovely job of bringing together stories from so many different parts of her work that inspire the reader with a vision of creative, engaging, and inclusive math learning for all. But she doesn't stop there! I appreciate that the book also gives concrete examples of what creative and diverse math meaning making actually looks like from children to grown adults in and outside of the classroom. I highly recommend this book!! Oh and... my cat was just as intrigued! I'd give it 6 stars if I could!

So, as an educator, I bought this book to maybe give me more ideas. However, It automatically lost a star because I opened to a random page to see the above photo (which I wrote on). I am sorry, I know this book is about putting "ish" in Mathematics but 3/4 times 3, is NOT 9/12...It is 9/4. This is a mistake I would see students make; however, even in baking ... if something called for 3/4 cup of sugar and you were going to make 3 batches, it would be 3/4 + 3/4 + 3/4 = 9/4, not 9/12. If a student saw work like this (from me), it would confuse them.Overall, this book as many interesting concepts and ideas, as well as some that make me go "what?" A couple of places confused me because there was either more information than needed, or not enough information.

After reading this book, I am inspired to take my students on a mathematical journey where beauty, joy, and wonder are fostered and encouraged! Thank you, Dr. Boaler for helping me see that creativity can coexist with mathematics and that math CAN be for everyone!

alles ok

I was reading this book, but it was not that cool and had bad information