"Not knowing is not failure, it's the first step to understanding" BEST QUOTE EVER

Summary: 1. Start with a question 2. Give students time to struggle 3. You are not the answer key.. try to figure stuff out WITH them. 4. Say yes to students' ideas and questions: take their ideas and go to conclusions. 5. Have a play mindset

I had a math teacher last year who was not just teaching lessons on the board, but bringing them to life. And despite the fact that I had a lot of trouble understanding math at first, I started to have real fun going to Math class. A pleasure that I had never experienced before since I sincerely began to like a subject in high school. This teacher, by bringing his lessons to life with a pedagogy that I have not encountered to date, opened my eyes to mathematics. I no longer considered this as a simple matter, but as a world apart, I realized the magic that stood behind mathematics, all the paths that could be walked in this area and all the geniuses that made it possible to advance our vision of the world thanks to mathematics. I also realized, thanks to this teacher that everything is mathematical, and that even in everyday objects to which we do not take any consideration, there are incredible mathematical principles hiding. So today, I'm still "in love" with this subject thanks to my teacher. So if I were to conclude this insignificant comment on the assumption that I address myself to people who do not like mathematics, I would advise them to try to be interested in this subject, and to read stories on mathematics or on mathematicians. One film that I highly recommend is "The Man who Knew Infinity". Thank you very much for reading me and good day to you!

"When we're not comfortable with math, we don't question the authority of numbers."

As a math teacher myself, this is the kind of thing they should be showing us in our Teaching degrees. Phenomenal. Dan - if you ever read this - please know that I'm trying my darnedest to work your philosophies into my teaching (and UKposts videos!). I hope all math teachers can live up to your approach.

This is the "I have a dream" speech of mathematicians. You read it here first :)

"I know if I rush to an answer, I would have robbed you of the opportunity to learn" what a beautiful quote. This is exactly what I tell my students. "Figure it out. You can do it." Always give the question, you'll be really surprised with the answers the kids come up with :) Learned a lot of new techniques this way - even from 4th graders. Wonderful wonderful presentation. It’s like you took all the words from my mouth and put it in the most beautiful way - something that I would never have been able to do! Like someone here said - this is the "I have a dream" speech of mathematics

At 4:03 this is prime factorisation of a number...... That's why prime numbers are in single colour.. 6=2x3 that's why 6 is coloured with half of colour 2 and half of colour 3..... That's a great creative play

I am a math teacher. I do exactly what he said. I never give my students an answer when they ask me a question. Discuss about it and find out how much they understood so I can suggest what could happen next. But most parents are not happy about it. They want their kids get answers immediately. A few parents are very happy because their kids develop how to study by themselves.

As a Mathematics teacher, I am 100% agree with your thoughts. You have explained five principles very well and every Mathematics teacher must have to follow them. Thanks, Dan for the video.

This teaching method applies to any subject by dealing with your students with respect. Great to see there are truly inspiring teachers out there. Loved it!

I am a teacher and I was jumping around when I found the answer of the connection in those colors. I am just visualising how students will behave when I show them in the class and most important when they get the answer 😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍 😱 Mind Boggling session 🤩🤩

One word can change the tone of everything. Posing questions is a less threatening beginning to lessons. And tellikng them I don't know. You tell me. Creates laughter giggles and "noise". Absolutely agree.

This video is so important. I'm really disappointed with the state of math education right now when it's so easy to show how amazing it is!

Thank you so much. Tomorrow my kids are going to spend a whole lesson with one fraction each and they are going to have to draw it and then place themselves on a number line. They are going to have to reason as to why they are in that place on the number line. We have spent 2 weeks struggling with fractions and I think playing like this, they might finally get it! I'm really excited to teach :D

Brilliant! Einstein once said, "If you cannot explain it simply you don't understand it well enough". Dan certainly doesn't fall in this category. I have recently started teaching Mathematics to my 12-year old daughter and her friends on weekends. And I am doing quite what he is doing. I am doing something similar and the kids are now discovering (not learning) that fractions, decimals, ratios, proportions, percentages and probability are just different dishes with the same main ingredient.

Outstanding presentation! It has frustrated me so to have experienced math education reduced to a set of rules. Many textbooks have been fillled with formulaic, "cookbook" type content. Math should be challenging, but fun and playful at the same time. We need to empower students with the power of mathematical thinking and reasoning, not beat them down with rules and procedures. Thank you!

Tremendously inspiring, enjoyable, and easy to understand. As a future teacher, I'm delighted to have found this video. Thank you, Dan Finkel!

I'm currently doing my masters of teaching and I've always thought that there were several important things to be being a good teacher, 1. Life experience. I never liked those who immediately went into teaching after high school because you have nothing but high school to give back to your students. 2. Passion. If you are not passionate about the topic, why would you expect your students to be? 3. Strategy. Students all learn differently. Students all react differently to teaching styles. For maths specifically, I've always seen it as the true and unbiased representation of the natural world. In a religious school you could describe this as the true language of God. Otherwise it would be akin to a magical language that holds all the secrets of the universe. Math is no less magical than I have described yet it is rarely seen as such. Many things in science struggle to be expressed purely mathematically but it is still essential. As a new microbiologist, I was consulted by my manager who had a masters in accounting about mathematical principles relating to micriobiology because she simply didn't understand it as well. Biology is the least mathematical of the main highschool sciences and yet it's still relevant. If you go to university for science, you'll no doubt see a lot of scientific studies. What you may or may not see is that much of that statistical analysis is done by a statistician because the scientists themselves do not understand it. But that in itself presents a flaw in the process. Statistical analysis is open to interpretation and if the statistician doesn't understand the subject he won't understand how to properly represent the data.

Such great ideas on how to get students to ponder questions and find solutions on their own and as a group. That's the path to getting them to love math.

Principles: 1. Start with a question. 2. Thinking happens only when we have time to struggle. 3. You are not the answer key. 4. Say yes to your students ideas. 5. Play!

Oh, wow. This is an educational gold mine. I’m starting uni next year doing a bachelor en route to a primary teaching degree and EVERYTHING said in here is going to be amazing for my assignments. It doesn’t just apply to maths, either. All of the information could apply to all aspects of learning and teaching particularly for children, as they learn predominantly through play.

I found it satisfying to be able to memorize facts and steps as a little kid, that was how I figured out patterns all by myself. I remember realizing how it all made sense *after* I had *already* mastered basic facts.

this was my first time watching anything like this. I've struggled with certain areas in maths, I can relate to what you have said. I enjoyed this and will defiantly watch again. thank you, keep inspiring

This is the most interesting speech I ever heard on Math Teaching. Really very useful for aspirant math teachers. You have explained five principles very well and every Mathematics teacher must have to follow them.

I paused the screen when the circles with the colors were showing and I asked my little brother (who is in 4th grade) if he could figure out what any of it meant. At first, he just said, " I don't know," and he didn't want to make an effort to try. However, after reassuring him to try, he was able to figure out what all of the colors and patterns meant within ten minutes . All I did was sat there and watched, and when he asked me if he was right on a part of its meaning, I would just ask him to explain why he came to that conclusion. In doing so, he would reassure himself of his own findings, and accomplished understanding the tasks all by himself. It was very accomplishing to watch him struggle and then figure it out through his own means. Thank you!

4:00 Those colours indicates the factors of the number, most of the prime number has same colour some 2,3,5,7 has different colours and non prime numbers has colour of it's factor, for example, 4 is 2×2 which is indicated by using 2's colour two times and 20 is 2×2×5 which is indicated by three segments of colours two 2's colour and one 5's colour, 49 is 7×7 so two 7's colour, 44 is 2×2×11 two 2's colour segment and one 11's colour segment, 60 is 2×2×3×5 thus two 2's colour segment one 3's colour segment one 5's colour segment.

I agree, respect and have a passion for what you have expressed. Now, if we can all work together to allow this to happen in a classroom, it would be beautiful. People not directly involved in education and seeing what is happening are shoveling more onto our already overfilling plates. Sadly, many teachers are spoon feeding students in order to meet the requirements. Breaks my heart. Everyone deserves to find a love for learning through struggles and successes.

This was actually AMAZING! I am studying mathematics for secondary education and I think this is a really neat approach to math.

Rule number 6 -Be careful not to confuse. Be sure to summarize at the end what was correct and what wasn't and more important why.

I love the idea of starting a math class with a question. Allowing students to think creatively in an open ended math problem, gives them independence and confidence in their learning. I love the steps, they make a lot of sense!

Great ! What is more impressive is the authors' own conviction in giving space, time and scaffolding questions that cultiates mathematicians. Thank YOU Dan for your enlightenment.

This is the most interesting speech I heard on Math Teaching. It is only if we enjoy "playing" with math than we become really good at it. Love it! Thanks for sharing!

Great presentation! As a math teacher, couldn't agree more. I have a student returning to education after nearly a decade and half. With barely any memory of math, she came in with a lot of apprehension about learning and doing math. Today she looks forward to our math classes! Nothing can be more satisfying than that!!

when ever i feel like math is not for me i watch beautiful mind and then i feel like it is the coolest thing ever.

Watched this again, while in search of a motivating send- off for a professional development period....perfect! Thank you.

such a simple, easy , beautiful and elegant question. Although easy to solve it was very satisfying.

I think we all would agree that Dan's philosophies are where we should all aspire. It is difficult, however, because we're all caught in this bind of trying to both do problems like this to stoke students' interest while finding enough time to give students exposure and practice for all of the "required topics". Even after 27 years teaching high school math, I'm still trying to find the right balance. But watching these inspirational videos remind me what the goal should be - to first and foremost get students to buy in...

Beautiful advice. I think the key is having the right mindset about learning. Its bigger than just attaining knowledge

I had watched this once and remembered all but still couldn't help watching the whole thing again! As someone teaching math at university level I feel so bad that there is just not much room (space, time, money, etc.) to PLAY in a math class. Syllabus must be covered, exams given, and grades assigned -- all by deadlines. Despite this I have indeed taken the adventure and I have witnessed firsthand the magic that happens when you as a math teacher keep your mouth shut and become invisible for 20 minutes. The ice is broken and dialogue begins!

This opened my eyes- I'm about to tutor some kids struggling in mathematics, this will help us both!

I am a average math student, but I love love the power of math to discover new things like Q-R code using probability, finding patterns. And I knew one day I would become a great mathematician. ..........................

I was, and still am, quite happy to absorb the techniques devised by very smart people over the centuries without having to rediscover them, even in a small way. What I really like is being able to do useful stuff with mathematics - and I can. That started with applied maths problems at school but the rest I've had to learn for myself from real problems in life. I wish that, at school, the skills for developing notation and developing models in new areas had been taught systematically, with guidelines and techniques. That would have made it easier for me to do what I have now done.

I just realized that what he said, is unconsciously were my POV in Math, without my teachers ever taught me. In my sight, since I like to play, Math is like a mystery game that is not to solve. Thank you for the insight

Indeed, it is time to love the beauty in math.

Indeed extraordinary ! Great talk . Thank you, bless you. All your dreams come true.

Love the following the what if and ending up modular!

Not knowing-not failure love it. I wish I knew this 20 years ago when studying certain topics in real analysis

I am so amazed by the moment he brought modular from the riduculous equation, full of joy and intellectual

Beautifully crafted talk that says so succinctly what matters in math education. The key is the last point: experience math as play. That's exactly why I love math. And when I get together with other mathematicians, that's what we do: play.

These talks are changing my life and keen my brain challenged and growing

Why did you stop!!!! Come back and keep enriching us. The best ever i have heard.

omg. thank u so much for this absolutely inspiring presentation. I think I have the right arguments now to convince my colleagues that this is the kind of math we should be teaching

What a beautiful way to discuss the prime factorization!

I am so grateful for you kind sir. There's hope.

This brought tears to my eyes. My 9yr old came home from school and said I'm sad I am asked him why and he said I have math homework and I can't do it. I sat him down and said son you can do it. If some kids in your class can do it. So can you. I taught him and taught him. Since that day wev'e been working math together everyday. Last week he came home with a test sheet and he scored 100%. I was like I know you can do it. I could not be more happier and him too. He is always happy when he gets a question right.

What a great talk! Thank you!

I am in love! Thank you!

This is a great approach, well-described. It takes a lot of self-confidence and trust to say "I don't know" or "let's see where that leads". I like it!

I would give this talk at least a 1000 Thumbs Up. One of the best talks on mathematical education!

Very good talk on the subject; it's wonderful he remembers Descartes and his discovery of the thinking subject, to see math as a thinking activity rather than a calculating task; the principles can vary: NCTM in 1980 gave a valuable document title An agenda for action that pretty much have been ignore by math teachers.

I'm an English teacher in China but I found this very helpful for what I do, thanks for uploading!

What a great speech. Thank you

Simply amazing !!!

love this. students need more time to explore and play.

Excellent. It changed my perspective ! Sincere thanks.

As a preschooler it was my greatest hobby to play with maths... until elementary school killed it. I was fortunate enough to find my way back to it later on, though.

Incredible presentation! If only Dan could be cloned and placed in every learning institution all over the world!!

wow, i'm quite impressed. thanks for sharing this!

This is some of the best advice I have ever seen on how to teach maths at school. I would also add that all multiple choice answer math exams should be banned. Solving a maths problem is a journey and students should have the chance of showing what paths they took on their journey. As Dan Finkel points out major progress in maths entails taking new and unusual paths. Very little of real maths is about doing calculations or repeating rote memorized formulars.

Dan Finkel both inspired and enlightened me. He speaks clearly and presents ideas logically. Is his penchant for math exploration the source of his creativity in improv comedy?

Every parent involved in Classical Conversations should watch this video!

As an aspiring middle school math teacher, I found this very empowering.

As a math teacher who tries desperately to get her students to think about bigger questions and more beautiful connections I fully relate to the, "I don't consider myself a mean person but I have no problem denying you what you want," comment. Love it.

I couldn't keep silent when watching this. You echo my thoughts. Absolutely amazing presentation. We need many more math teachers like you.

Thank you! Great advice. Seriously, thank you!

AMAZING!! love the video!

Somehow this video helped me finally figure out the math problem I’ve been fighting with lol I always get my friend’s help and realized I can do this all on my own with some reverse thinking with my equations

Absolutely brilliant!

So glad I incorporate finger use during classroom instruction with my UPK groups. Base Ten in the palms of both hands.

Beautiful. Thank you.

Most of the time there is undue pressure, time constraints and irrelevant administrative procedures for teachers that are given more weight than teaching. Teachers also deal with large classes with a wide spectrum of student abilities. This makes it very hard to generalise teaching techniques. This is a great video, but must also be questioned, depending on context.

thanks alot. i taught this vast inflentual infos to my grade 5 class because i substituted.they were happy math plus music plus language plus everything. Regards,more vida like these please.

Awesome. Thank you.

Very moving inspiring talk!

Hits differently now that I am watching this as a teacher compared when I was still a College Student. :D A VERY GOOD TEACHING STRATEGY INDEED.

I like it very much ! Thanks for the principles.

The circular representation is a type of graph which can be used to depict octal bases and, as such, there is an error: have a look at the second ring where 14 is listed twice. [14 base 10 is 16 base 8]

Brilliant! all teachers should listen to this and apply it, thanks!

Beautiful!

Math is so beautiful indeed! I love it too. Cheers

I agree with you sir being a teacher we have syllabus completion responsibility and we just end up messing up with the whole idea of participative learning....

This man is a great teacher!

Ow! I loved! thanks a lot for this!

Muy buena la secuencia de números que muestra. Es increíble el aprendizaje que puede haber tras una duda.

common multiples I saw it instantly and had a mathgasm-one poisonous high school math teacher robbed me of something I loved and I left my my love for decades. I rediscovered it as a middle-aged adult and have risen higher and explored deeper than I ever thought possible for myself. Salman Khan believes anyone can learn anything and based on my own Calculus journey I believe it too be true. If I can do it yourself can too!!

An eye opener! Thanks

Fantastic!! Thank you

This is phenomenal.

this guy actually have a verry good prepective of learning, good video!!