SUMMARY: Numbers and algorithms aren't just useful to mathematician Eugenia Cheng -- they're exhilarating. That's why she's on a mission to help transform math's notoriously boring reputation in education into one of thrilling wonder and creativity. Cheng gives her humble opinion on how to make math really matter to students.
SUMMARY: In Boston public schools, 3, 4 and 5-year-olds are getting their first introduction to math. Before they walk through the kindergarten door, the “Building Blocks” curriculum is designed to encourage very young children to think and talk about math concepts throughout the days, by providing lessons through innovative games. Special correspondent Cat Wise reports.
JUDY WOODRUFF (NewsHour): Students in Boston are heading back to the classroom this week, where the school district's youngest learners are taking on math in a whole new way.
Special correspondent Cat Wise reports for our weekly education segment, Making the Grade.
WOMAN: Ready, go.
CHILDREN: One, two, three, four, five.
CAT WISE, Special correspondent: The scene may look like indoor recess, but these preschool students are jumping joyfully for a lesson in mathematics.
WOMAN: Who's getting warmed up now?
CAT WISE: Even the teachers in this Boston public elementary are warming up to the idea of math instruction for 3-, 4-, and 5-year-olds.
WOMAN: Beautiful.
CAT WISE: Sara Gardner teaches pre-kindergarten at Edward Everett School.
SARA GARDNER, Teacher, Edward Everett School: The curriculum activities, they're fun. They're fun. And as a teacher, you really get to dig deeply into the development of math and math ideas in young kids.
CAT WISE: Boston schools have adopted a curriculum called Building Blocks, which encourages kids to think about and discuss math concepts throughout the day.
Linda Ruiz Davenport directs math programs for Boston Public Schools.
LINDA RUIZ DAVENPORT, Mathematics Director, Boston Public Schools: Getting young children involved in mathematics at an early age helps foster their curiosity about mathematics, particularly mathematics in their environment.
