Navajo Math Circles

In this PBS-aired documentary by filmmaker George Csicsery, the use of math circles and math camps in rural Navajo nation schools is presented as an inspiring means of instilling deep math knowledge in students while also incorporating Navajo studies into the curriculum. Math circles are essentially student-led learning models, where kids are given the tools for understanding problem-solving, after which they work in pairs or in teams, applying those skills to unique situations. (Math camps are slightly different in that they are based on teacher-led immersion learning.) The approach caught on in regional Navajo schools beginning in 2012, and the inclusion of traditional Navajo crafts (e.g., weaving) and engineering (architecture) has helped young people appreciate the old ways even as they move forward with new tools. The commitment of families to this process is impressive: some parents have to drive nearly 300 miles a day round-trip to get their kids to circles and camps, while some students have to walk for miles when roads are too wet to drive on. An interesting film about a cultural approach to math literacy, this is recommended. Aud: C, P. (T. Keogh)