Losing My Dignity as a Mathemagician…

You know how you try things out at the end of the year preparing for the next year?  Well, I tried out something and DID lose my dignity, but the kids loved it!  I dressed up as a mathemagician …more specifically The Masked Mathemagician!  I told the kids that Ms. K had sent the magician to tell the special news.  I did this to announce our Math Wars awards.  I had one big contest at the end of the year where I awarded students in the top three  places for Reflex Math AND the top three classes in K-2 and 3-5.  I bought a cape and mask at Wal-Mart in the toy section for $6.97 and borrowed a glittery black hat from a teacher down the hall.  At the last minute, I thought to use a ruler for my magic wand.  I just used a plain one, but I think I will glitz it up for next year.  I’m also thinking of adding white gloves.  Anyhow, I ran into our morning meeting (that we have every day) dressed up, and children’s gasps  could be heard as I ran in.  One of the teachers told me later that the students stopped eating when they saw me.  (Our morning meeting is in the cafeteria.)  After I announced the winners, I took off my little costume in the side room, so that the kids wouldn’t see me change.  The kids told me all day that they saw me dressed up.  I kept telling them that it wasn’t me dressed up, but my friend.  Most kids knew it was me of course.  One kindergartener said, “Really it looked just like you!” 🙂

I dressed up like this on a whim because of a presentation called “Math Math, Better Than a Bath” that I saw at the NCTM conference this year.  The presenter described wearing a silly hat etc. to do math contests like creating silly math poems and math jokes.  I think in the myriad of test prep and accountability we forget that kids live in a world of make believe, imagination, and fun.  To really reach them, sometimes it is necessary to speak their language of imagination…and this coming from someone who likes to remain behind the scenes and not make a spectacle of themselves…me!

Below is pictured my $6.97 cape and mask, borrowed glitter hat, and magic ruler wand (which I will be improving in the future).