Speaker: John Brown, Lake View High School (Chicago)
Title: Artisanal Mathematics: Elevating the Mathematical Brilliance of Craftspeople
Abstract: Artisanal Mathematics, the mathematics of the maker, the craftsperson, and the operator, is underrepresented in school mathematics. Commercial-administrative and philosophical mathematics dominate the mainstream curriculum. The session will include hands-on examples of brilliant artisanal methods not found in textbooks and example tasks including real contextual problems. By examining and including this form of math we aim to expand the definition of who is a doer of math and encourage students to see themselves and their families as math doers. A repository will be shared with attendees of collected examples that the speaker hopes to expand and apply to create tasks for young people.
Speaker Bio: John Brown is a math educator, currently teaching high school in Chicago Public Schools. A native of the northern Illinois region and graduate of Auburn High School, he is a Knowles Senior Fellow and Gates Cambridge Scholar. His passion is bringing rich experiences of mathematics to people of all ages, especially young people. He has presented at local and national conferences on implementing Building Thinking Classrooms, leading professional learning as a classroom teacher, and artisanal mathematics.
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NIATM Meeting – Tuesday October 21, 2025 - Rockford University Burpee Building, 2nd floor
5:30 – 6:15 p.m. ------- Dinner in the Dining Hall
6:30 – 8:00 p.m. -------- Presentation & Questions in the Faculty Dining Room
One time membership fee for students: $10 (cash or check)
Membership for others: $20 (cash or check)
Dinner: $9.52 (credit card)
Any questions, please contact Filiz Dik at
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Also check out other Meetups in Rockford, Workshops in Rockford.
