The math of learning | John Mighton | TEDxCERN

This talk was given at a local TEDx event, produced independently of the TED Conferences. An invisible problem in our society is that we underestimate ourselves. John Mighton, the founder of JUMP Math, believes that anyone can learn anything, especially mathematics. We need to give our teachers the right methods, backed by rigorous evidence, to educate our children.
LINK: jumpmath.org/cms/
John Mighton is a mathematician and playwright and is the founder of JUMP Math, a charity that is working to improve the teaching math. He appeared in Good Will Hunting, and contributed a monologue to the film based on the argument he makes in his book The End of Ignorance that most people never get a chance to succeed in math because they are not taught according to their true potential. Mighton received an Ashoka Fellowship for his work as a social entrepreneur. His plays have received a number of national awards and have been performed around the world.
About TEDx, x = independently organized event In the spirit of ideas worth spreading, TEDx is a program of local, self-organized events that bring people together to share a TED-like experience. At a TEDx event, TEDTalks video and live speakers combine to spark deep discussion and connection in a small group. These local, self-organized events are branded TEDx, where x = independently organized TED event. The TED Conference provides general guidance for the TEDx program, but individual TEDx events are self-organized.* (*Subject to certain rules and regulations)

[@schenalaura]

I was there! Such amazing speech! Thank you TedxCern!

[@davidfaubion1152]

The Suzuki Method for music instruction also has the core principle that innate talent is illusory--only work (love and devotion) bring forth skill. Of course, the environment in which the child is nurtured does have causal power; nevertheless, the nurturing is undoubtedly part of the work equation. I too was an ironic victim of the myth that is "You have no math talent/ability! Or, you annoying prodigal, have damaged math genes that just might inhibit the progress of normal and bright kids! Just get yourself into drama or some other easy class for no-math-talent slogs!" I overcame that cruel lie by my love and devotion to learning music and observing the dramatic beauty of the world of numbers, shapes and movement and the constant perfection, chaos and randomness in art, nature, truth and critical thinking.

[@DennisCambly]

I wish I had him teaching Math as he begins to talk about teachers. He's currently finding some teachers in Alberta, Canada a bit unfriendly to his JUMP Math even though the students are obtaining higher grades in Math.

[@bcthoburn]

Additionally, with guided discovery math is best taught slow at the beginning when the student formulates, crystallizes, and connects the idea to a universe, then when they let themselves be guided to use that to discover the answers to "bonus questions", which they should be able to do quickly, the learning comes faster. At the end they'll be able to answer a wide variety of problems. Unfortunately, instead of slow at the beginning and fast at the end math is often taught faster at the beginning where the teacher shows them an unsupported method then slows down as they have to struggle through the variety of problems.

[@Tripps2564]

Stop comparing and start pushing... you sir are awesome. So many folks I know think they CAN"T know math... thanks for showing how BS that is!

[@killbot23]

I Agree John.

[@pr749]

should have way more views...

[@juicewarrior2501]

Amazing.

[@donnaperry7984]

Does anyone recommend a math program that can transition well from Jump Math to a high school math program? I am looking for a program that can work with some students who have learning disabilities. USA version.

[@parikhmanisha7082]

Amazing

[@abhijitsahoo957]

But how could we solve like 7÷2/5?

[@nathancassio2866]

Gostaria de aprender Ester método

[@pectenmaximus231]

This is the man who said "[Mathematicians] “have big egos, so they haven’t told anyone that math is easy," “Logicians proved more than 100 years ago it can be broken into simple steps.” Not only are mathematicians largely a humble and community-oriented group, with a natural inclination to service, that pseudo-history that he is spouting in that quote defies any attempts to find support. Mathematics is inherently about steps. Whether they are 'simple' depends on how much you know. The arithmetic of Babylonians or Egyptians or Greeks or Chinese, thousands of years ago in each case, may have been plenty simple. Euclid would be much better suited to his claim about simple steps, though that wouldn't look right in context of his other historical nuggets about the Greeks. The work in logic in the early 20th century is nearly opaque to anyone save for specialists. Continuum Hypothesis, Incompleteness Theorem, these are things which require true devotion. Things move pretty quickly beyond 'simple', though they do remain steps. The only thing mathematicians maybe can be accused of, is not realizing just how much of a challenge mathematics is to 'non-mathematicians'. Mathematicians do seem to (for the most part) be people with strong natural ability, and were either able to zip through schoolwork on their own, or were identified as achievers, and given additional opportunity. This creates a kind of natural insulation from realizing what math is for 'the rest of us'. Indeed, if mathematics was taught in a manner consistent with Mighton's program, the world would probably be better off, though I have my doubts about the attitude and the outcomes if these kinds of quotes lie at the heart of the mission.