Radakovic, N., Jagger, S., & Jao, L. (2018). Writing and reading multiplicity in the uni-verse: Engagements with mathematics through poetry. For the Learning of Mathematics, 38(1), 2–6.
Radakovic, Jagger, and Jao (2018) explore the intersection of mathematics and poetry, focusing on how poetic structures can help students engage with mathematical concepts like scale and place value. The article centers on Nanao Sakaki’s poem "A Love Letter," which uses concentric circles of increasing magnitude, from one meter to billions of light-years, to create a "topological map" of the universe. When students were asked to write their own versions, the authors shifted their focus from looking for "accurate" numerical data to embracing multiplicity - the idea that the reader’s personal experience and emotions are what give the mathematics meaning. By blurring the lines between "mathematical poetry" and "poetic mathematics," the authors argue that math is not a static set of rules but a dynamic, human system of interpretation
Stop 1: My first stop occurred on page 2 when the authors identified the geometric structure of Sakaki’s poem. The poem moves from a one-meter circle to 10 meters, then 100 meters, eventually leaping into light-years. In my classroom, scale factors are often taught through drawing candy wrappers in a scale or building 3D buildings, but here, scale is used to create a "shelter" or a "forest". It shows that we can teach exponential growth not as a formula, but as a physical expansion of our own "lived experience". It reframes the number line as a journey outward from the self.
Stop 2: I paused again on page 4, where the authors discuss Roland Barthes’ idea that the "multiplicity is focused... in the reader". As a teacher, I am often the one holding the "right" interpretation of a math problem. However, the authors argue that when a student reads or writes a mathematical poem, they are actually "authoring" the math themselves. It challenges the "formalist approach" where every student is expected to decode the structure in the exact same way. It suggests that if a student uses numbers as "representative metaphors" for loss or love, even if they aren't perfectly accurate, they are still engaging in deep mathematical thinking.
Stop 3: The final stop was the analysis of Elizabeth’s poem about her grandfather’s funeral on page 5. The authors note that when she describes holding her mother's hand within a "circle of one meter," she is engaging with mathematics as an embodied experience. Math is so often seen as "disembodied and abstract". Seeing a student use a "third dimension" (referencing things "above" or "overhead") to express grief shows that math is not just in the head, and it’s a system of human interpretation inextricably woven into our nature.
A Question I Wonder
The authors suggest that poetry provides a "safe place" for students who are anxious about mathematics. Does it add to the anxiety of students who are in ELL programs?
Hi Kabula, thank you for your thoughtful response and stops. Your question arrives at a coincidental time for me—I had just finished reading three papers examining the theoretical foundations and discourse surrounding the term “safe space.”
ReplyDeleteFrom those readings, I wonder whether mathematical poetry might move us not toward a perfectly “safe” space, but perhaps toward a safer one. As you point out, the discourse around safe spaces always raises the question: safe for whom? With mathematical poetry, who feels invited in—and who might feel further marginalized?
I can imagine that for ELL learners, the blending of mathematics and language could feel overwhelming, even nightmarish, if not carefully scaffolded. This makes me think that we cannot simply introduce these activities with good intentions alone. We would need to know our students well—their linguistic backgrounds, their mathematical confidence, and their prior experiences—before engaging them in this kind of work. Ensuring sufficient foundational knowledge and a sense of comfort would be essential if mathematical poetry is to expand possibility rather than inadvertently close it.
Hello Kabula,
ReplyDeleteI believe that ELL students are in a unique stage of developing their language skills while navigating academic content. For these learners, poetry serves as a soothing balm, alleviating rather than amplifying their anxiety. The insightful article by Radaković, Jagger, and Jao (2018) illustrates how poetry creates a nurturing and genuine environment where students can articulate mathematical concepts free from the constraints of formal correctness. If poetry can achieve this for a subject as daunting as mathematics, it certainly has the potential to transform learning across other disciplines too.
This is particularly crucial for ELL students, who often face heightened anxiety due to the linguistic barriers present in traditional math classrooms. The use of mathematical poetry cultivates a dynamic and inclusive space that encourages students to engage with mathematics on their own terms. By softening the rigid walls of language and expectation, ELL students can recognize the value of their unique experiences, paving the way for reduced anxiety and building confidence in their learning journey. It’s a testament to how creativity can unlock doors to understanding and self-expression, making education a more inviting and empowering space for all.
Two thought-provoking ideas here about ELL students and writing (mathematical) poetry: does this soften the rigid walls of language expectations around correctness … and/or intimidate new language learners? I suspect that this will vary a lot, depending on people’s relationships with both poetry and their language experiences.
ReplyDeleteKabula, I love the idea of framing the number line as something radiating out from the person!