Try asking middle school students about a mathematician. Ask them what mathematicians do, what they look like or even how they act. The answers that you get may be a bit surprising!
Many middle schoolers are unsure about what a “mathematician” actually is. Many think of a mathematician as only being a school teacher while others confuse it with a man who has “special powers” (a magician). When it comes to the appearance of a mathematician, many students say he wears glasses, a lab coat, has greasy hair, a pocket protector, and carries a calculator at all times… or wears a magic cape! And the personality of a mathematician, according to middle school students, is strange. Many students seem to think that a mathematician has few friends, if any at all, and very little interaction with the outside world (unless it is imperative to the math problem he is working on). Others see him a performer, pulling rabbits out of hats! Almost all students view the mathematician as male; few think that they can be female.
It is important for young students to learn the word “mathematician” and imperative for teachers to shatter the stereotypical views that students have of them. If we as a nation are to make our youth more mathematically competitive with others throughout the world, we need to make this term less derogatory and more admirable. This can be done through a variety of activities and discussions. First, in order to find out about students’ views, the teacher can have students can complete a questionnaire. The survey can include:
1. Does the work of a mathematician seem fun to you?
2. Do mathematicians seem like very tolerant people?
3. Would you want to be friends with a mathematician? Why/ Why not?
4. Have you ever met a mathematician? If so, when?
5. Do mathematicians usually work alone or with other people?
6. Are you a mathematician?
7. Would you want to ever become a mathematician? Why/Why not?
8. If you have a toothache, you go to a dentist; if you have a broken leg, you go to a doctor. Explain a time when you would go to a mathematician.
Next, have students draw a picture of what they think a mathematician looks like. Explain that they can label anything they think would make the picture clearer and more complete, giving as much detail as possible in order to help their audience understand their portrait.
After the survey and drawing are complete, it is important to process this activity as a group. Ask students to share their answers and/or describe their picture to the class. Many students may be shy at first but the teacher may want to share a few responses from previous years (or pictures/answers that were gathered from others).
Usually after the sharing of student work, a discussion ensues about what the word “mathematician” actually means. According to the website Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org), a mathematician is “a person whose area of study and research is mathematics”. Students then realize that this can include them; that they fit into the definition of a mathematician!
Next, with guidance from the teacher, the class discusses the occupations they think involve the study of mathematics besides being a mathematics teacher. Students then realize that all occupation involve some type of mathematics therefore making all those people mathematicians.
Another word that comes out of the processing of this activity is the term “stereotype.” Students are familiar with this word as it applies to cultures, nationalities and ethnic groups but are not as familiar as to how it applies to occupations, specifically mathematicians. Students learn that many of the characteristics that they listed and/or drew for their mathematician are called “stereotypical characteristics.”
When all the discussions have concluded, the students’ pictures are hung in the classroom with the caption “Mathematicians: Stereotype vs. Reality.” The pictures the students drew are hung under the word “Stereotype” and photographs are hung under the word “Reality”. These photographs can be pictures from a magazine (showing occupations that use mathematics as discussed in class), of the students working in math and science classes, etc.
Another way to show mathematicians in a positive light is have to them as guest speakers.
Throughout the school year, people from the community can visit the school to explain to students their current occupation, their feelings toward math (both past and present), the types of mathematics they needed to pursue in order to be successful in their current occupation and to answer any questions that students may have. From these guest visits, students will see that there are many different types of people that are considered to be mathematicians, including themselves.
In a time when the United States is criticized for not producing enough mathematically literate people, there is an ever growing need to show mathematics in a more positive light, to break the stereotypes that society has made regarding mathematicians, and to enlighten students on the principle that a strong foundation in mathematics is needed for all occupations. Students need to be made aware that it is not “geeky” or “nerdy” to be called a mathematician but that it is both an honor and a privilege.