A creative, fun and effective way to teach math

Math festivals are an untraditional and highly engaging way to teach math! (SAfG is including the Julia Robinson Mathematics Festival (JRMF) methods in lessons for our Fall session.)

Mathematics festivals offer more: Nancy’s story

As a young girl, I enjoyed playing with math problems from the Saint Mary’s Math Contest under the guidance of my father. He would ask questions and, while exploring their answers, I would get ideas for approaching problems. When I solved a problem, I felt accomplished and inspired to tackle more problems. I often absorbed a nontrivial amount of mathematics. 

In 2006, I was disappointed to learn that the Saint Mary’s Math Contest was discontinued. I considered resurrecting it but felt a math festival that encouraged collaboration would be more inclusive.  

Naming the festival

The Julia Robinson Mathematics Festival (JRMF) is named after Julia Robinson, an inspirational and great mathematician renowned for solving, together with Yuri Matijasevich, Martin Davis, and Hilary Putnam, Hilbert’s Tenth Problem. (Her sister, Constance Reid, gave us permission to use Julia’s name.) JRMF honors her legacy and encourages students—particularly girls—to pursue mathematics.

Julia Robinson (photo from George Csicsery)

Goal: Inspire math joy

When I created the organization, I wanted to inspire joy in mathematics for students, as my father had done for me. I began building a community that kept growing as we hosted events where students could explore math through puzzles, games, and problem sets.

JRMF cultivates and collects activities that are hands-on, play-based, and standards-aligned. Festival facilitators guide and encourage students. 

The benefits?

  • Participants are encouraged to collaborate and discuss different methods and approaches. 

  • Students discover math concepts they may not have learned in math classes. 

  • People remember things better after they make a discovery themselves. 

  • Participants develop problem-solving skills that are valuable beyond math, leading them to think critically and tenaciously about life’s challenges. 

How do math festivals work? 

Math festivals are hosted by schools, libraries, afterschool programs and other community centers – attracting students, educators and parents. 

JRMF is a great resource for engaging students through math games and puzzles. Online apps and host guides (along with free consultation) help teachers incorporate activities into their lessons using easy-to-follow instructions. Activities often start with experimentation that gives students more insight through exploration. (With apps, students can more easily collaborate online too, which many did during the pandemic.)

To date, Julia Robinson Mathematics Festivals have been held in most-U.S. states and 20+ countries around the world. 

Festivals draw positive response

JRMF feedback: 

“I love that each [JMRF] task is 'low floor, high ceiling', so [it is] initially accessible to all pupils of any ability but then offers greater depth and exploration for pupils who need that extra challenge. My students have all enjoyed the open-ended nature of the problems, and they have undoubtedly become stronger and more confident problem solvers as a result.”  –Dan Whelan, Head of JS Maths, Magdalen College School, Oxford, U.K.

“JRMF really gets it right. Usually, the best parts of mathematics are kept away from the public, as if you needed to be a mathematician to get to the fun stuff!” –Vi Hart, Mathemusician, youtube.com/user/ViHart

Want to get involved? Check out some math puzzles for free at jrmf.org/puzzle/. Join an upcoming math festival near you at jrmf.org/events/. Learn how to host a math festival yourself at  jrmf.org/host-a-festival/.

With basketball or soccer, you don’t learn how to dribble, block, intercept, shoot, or kick a ball just by watching games. You need to jump in, experiment, and play around. That’s what happens at a Julia Robinson Mathematics Festival and why many students, teachers, and parents have found the activities inspiring and thought-provoking.

- Nancy Blachman, Founder of the Julia Robinson Mathematics Festival

Giselle Escajeda