week 4: Activity
I was assigned Bridges 2017. I enjoyed looking at all of the math art! There were so many that appealed to me, but I finally settled on Martin Levin's Precious Polarity. The simple lines, the silver and gold, the geometric shapes of a pentagram and the inside triangular shapes somehow made me feel happy.
I spent a good three hours on this activity! I tried to build the triangles in the centre first and just could NOT figure out what I was doing wrong! I reread the description, took my shape apart, reworked my shape; zoomed in and tried to see where the shapes became 3D... there just didn't seem to me to be enough direction to be able to replicate the icosahedron figure. I decided to call it quits and focus on trying to reflect on the reading for this week.
All of my struggles throughout this small activity is an insight into our students. They will muddle away trying and trying to get the work done, attempt the homework on their own (or through zoom these days) and because there is some minor portion of the directions that they don't understand, and feel that that minor piece that they don't understand is their fault, or responsibility and they won't ask for help. I hope I can remember this feeling of confusion and bring it into my practice so that I can help my students find that "missing link".
Week 4: Reading
This week I chose Reading a: Dylan Thomas & Doris Schattschneider (2011) Dylan Thomas: Coast Salish artist, Journal of Mathematics and the Arts, 5:4, 199-211, DOI: 10.1080/17513472.2011.625346
I am a Coast Salish Indigenous person; this article resonated with me on many levels, artist Susan Point being one of them, as she is my aunt (mathematics being the least of them😅). Another being the art itself, so many well known artists are from the North Coast of BC, very little art is well known that is curated by Coast Salish Artists until the end of the 20th Century.
I grew up around Indigenous art; my father was a carver, some of my uncles were carvers, my first husband was a painter. I saw the mirrored images and symmetry within the designs, as well as the incorporation of smaller designs built into the larger ones. What I didn't know, what I wasn't aware of, was the mathematics involved! I was part of the generation where you sit still and "do your sums". There was no story involved, no explanation about what I was learning, no encouragement to "see" mathematics in my everyday life. I don't remember learning what "symmetry" is, and especially not "rotational symmetry." Thomas & Schattschneider do a beautiful job of explaining the mathematics involved with traditional Indigenous art, as well as Thomas's modern art that embraces his Indigenous roots.
Thomas provides a brief history on the lives of Coast Salish Indigenous Peoples and lands we inhabit along with the ceremonies performed that helped in preserving this art form. Thomas shares how he learned his artistry in a traditional fashion; Indigenous ways of learning are while doing alongside those who area skilled. Thomas learned how to make jewelry, carve and paint in an apprentice-mentor type of learning style. throughout his learning, Thomas shares how Indigenous art is incorporated into the tools that are used for everyday life, teaching and bringing oral histories into the lives of the next generations to see and encourage questions about the carvings and paintings on boxes, paddles, baskets and spindle whorls.
This summer I was relaxing and zoning out looking off into space, when my eyes landed on the boughs of a young cedar tree. Once my eyes focussed on the fronds, I could see the shapes that are regularly seen in Indigenous artwork, I was enthralled with the shapes I could see! Thomas and Schattschneider's explanations of sine, symmetry, vertical mirroring, the flow of rotational symmetry reminded me of the lesson I had of hula dancing. The hula is the art involved with carrying oral tradition forward, the movements telling story of the way finders and the movement of the water and People of Hawai'i. The precise paintings and movement of the shapes involved, tell the story of those who have come before.
Grace, how amazing it must be to be surrounded by so many talented and skilled carvers and artists! And even more amazing that are you able to incorporate these traditions and practices into your own classroom. Your stories of personal learning, and meaningful connections is what allows concepts to resonated on a deeper level. Thank you for sharing.
ReplyDeleteI appreciated your openness about struggle. So often we see this as a negative but struggle is the root to how we (and our students) can flourish (I feel I still have Francis Su's insights floating around). It sounds like in your struggle, you were able to see new perspectives and make realizations you wouldn't have made if you were simply shown step by step. What a beautiful metaphor!
Thank you, Grace, for sharing your experiences and your cultural background. It is neat to see that we all had an opportunity to try some art and experience how arduous tasks to incorporate Art into math. Once we tried it, it was the most significant accomplishment for us. We also thought about our students while working through these tasks. Some students are so gifted in Art that incorporating Art in math gives them a sense of place. "When mathematics and art come together, students are often inspired and they can start to see mathematics as a beautiful and creative subject" ( Jo Boaler: https://www.youcubed.org/maths-and-art/). When I introduced this bridges art to my class, most of them were engaged and took this activity as a challenge. It is incredible to see how math and Art cross and their beauty are revealed.
ReplyDeleteGrace, thank you for this lovely post -- and Christina and Pushpa for your thoughtful comments. How amazing to be in the same family with Susan Point and your Dad, uncles and ex who also are so involved in Indigenous art. Your photo and writing about the cedar tree are really beautiful. I appreciate your thoughts about the difficulties and possibilities of bringing together math and art. Your struggles at the beginning with making the Bridges art piece and the insights you drew from this are so meaningful!
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