The Milwaukee Math Collaborative includes representatives of four organizations, STEAM Milwaukee, UW Milwaukee’s Math Department, Learn Deep, and the Wisconsin Out of School Time Alliance (WOSTA). We came together in 2023 to offer a series of Family Math nights with Stellar Academy, and Milwaukee Public Schools. These sessions offer students and their families regular opportunities to engage in hands-on activities and puzzles which illuminate mathematical concepts in a playful and joyful way.
Our efforts have expanded since them to include support for classroom teachers looking leverage hands on activities to engage students and build understanding in alignment with math curriculum, and Math Circles programs, working directly with middle school students. This year we have funding through the R³ program of STEM Next to develop and support math programing with organizations which offer Out of School Time (OST) enrichment activities for Milwaukee youth. We’ve partnered with TRUE Skool for the first part of this pilot, offering math experiences as part of the program’s TRUE Knowledge Mondays. Over the course of those sessions, the team has drawn connections to, and led hands-on math activities related to music, design, poetry, dance, and fashion. The work will expand over TRUE’s Skool’s summer program to help students explore mathematical concepts and tools related to environmental justice issues. We look to support additional OST providers over the coming months.
As we look forward towards the coming school year, we look to:
- Support additional OST providers through the R³ program
- Continue support for Math Circles
- Recruit educators for a Math Circles program with teachers
- Support Family Math Nights with additional schools/organizations
Want to change the math experience for the educators, families, or young people you work with? Let us know.
