Creative Thinking Through Mathematics by Munakata, Mika; Leszczynski, Eliza;

Short description:

This book engages students in interactive explorations that promote creative thinking in mathematics. Fifteen quests invite students to notice, wonder, and connect math to other disciplines and situations. Written for undergrads and pre-service teachers, the quests foster creativity through open-ended questions, reflection, and playfulness.

Long description:

This book engages students in interactive explorations that encourage creative thinking in their approaches to mathematics. Organized around five themes, the fifteen quests invite students to notice, wonder, and draw upon their mathematical reasoning as they connect mathematics to other disciplines and everyday situations. The quests foster students’ creativity by posing open-ended questions, encouraging reflection, inviting playfulness and curiosity, and connecting to research-based traits of creativity. The authors broaden the notion of what it means to be a mathematical thinker, provide access to mathematics through creative thinking, and celebrate the idea that everyone has the capacity to explore mathematics. Each chapter concludes with a project idea that encourages students to personalize their learning around the chapter’s theme. Accompanying worksheets and other resources are also available online. This book is written for undergraduate students, including preservice teachers, and is suitable as a textbook for general education mathematics courses. It can also be used within teacher professional learning communities and professional development programs as a supplement for more specialized mathematics education courses, or anywhere there is interest in approaching mathematics creatively.

"Creative Thinking through Mathematics continually evokes human curiosity. It is one of the rare books that asks more questions than has answers, especially since the answers to those questions are more personal to the reader than any math book out there. The authors use the definition of a creative product to be both novel and useful. I can say with certainty that this book is quite novel (to me) in its approach and can be useful to any instructor that wants to spark curiosity within their classroom."

Miloš Savić, Professor, David and Judi Proctor Department of Mathematics, University of Oklahoma, USA.

"General education mathematics courses in particular demand texts that are intellectually robust, emotionally resonant, and pedagogically sound, in order for students to make meaningful connections with mathematics. This book answers that call. Firmly rooted in principles of universal design, active learning, and learning science, this text presents mathematics as a cognitive, creative, and human-centered endeavor. It secures a meaningful place for mathematical thinking in the lives of learners and makes a significant contribution to the field."

Jessica S. Krim, Former Professor of Teaching and Learning, School of Education, Health, and Human Behavior, Southern Illinois University, USA.

"In Creative Thinking Through Mathematics, the authors share a collection of tried-and-true activities to help students discover the creative possibilities for doing mathematics. The word “doing” is relevant as readers are invited to participate in activity that is atypical of the writing and note-taking that accompany most mathematics experiences. In balancing these activities with mathematical considerations, readers learn new ways to reason through problems.  This book’s explorations will open up possibilities for thinking about and being (newly!) creative with mathematics."

Eileen Fernández, Professor of Mathematics Education, Montclair State University, USA.

"Creative Thinking Through Mathematics invites readers to observe mathematics in unexpected ways through practices like journaling, questioning, and exploring the elegance of ideas. With a focus on curiosity, this book challenges the reader to find beauty, joy, and personal connection with mathematics. Whether you are a teacher seeking to spark wonder in your classroom, a student eager to see math in a new way, or a lifelong learner looking to rekindle curiosity, this book will inspire you to see mathematics as a creative and exciting journey."

 Ceire Monahan, Professional Development Designer, Amplify Education, USA.

Table of Contents:

Welcome to Creative Thinking Through Mathematics 1. What Does it Mean to You?  2. What Do You Notice?  3. Where is the Mathematics in Play?  4. Where is the Beauty in Mathematics?  5. What Makes you Wonder  Teaching for Creativity