Kathy Reyes is a 3rd grade teacher of a self-contained, bilingual class at the HISD K-8 Rice School/La Escuela Rice.  She has taught for 25 years and has been at the Rice School since 2002.  She attended the RUSMP Summer Campus Program for the first time last summer.

During a visit to her class a few days ago, I saw on one of the walls of her room was displayed a “Museo de Matematica”.

She said that the activity came from RUSMP’s Robin Ward who visited the Elementary class for a day during the Summer Campus Program last summer.  Robin is passionate about integrating art and mathematics and encourages both teachers and students to put on their math goggles while looking at art work.  Here is a video of students talking about the art pieces they created that were modeled after Piet Mondrian’s art work.

Piet Mondrian:      

 Kathy’s student:   

Speaking of art and mathematics, I just learned that the first Museum of Mathematics in North America opened in New York City in December 2012.  CBS News Sunday Morning did a piece about the museum…watch it here.

When the CBS News interviewer Mo Rocca confessed to museum founder, Glen Whitney that “I loved math. I loved algebra. I really loved geometry, [but] I hit the wall at pre-cal,” Whitney responded, “…you were only given one road to go through mathematics. You got the impression that once you hit the wall, that’s it. There’s nothing more for you. In fact, math is this extremely, very beautiful landscape. And we’re showing people just one road cut right through the center of it.”  The museum exhibits include a square-wheeled tricycle that somehow “rides like a dream” according to Rocca, and a screen that you stand in front of that displays a fractal version of you by using 3 cameras and video feedback loops…very cool.  You can view photos of people enjoying the exhibit here.

Kathy has helped her students traverse the beautiful landscape of mathematics, and they were brimming with pride when they shared their art work.   Kathy, thank you for letting RUSMP witness your enthusiasm and creativity for a day.