Rice Celebrates 10 Years of Making Math Fun for Kids

Media Advisory



CONTACT: Philip Montgomery
PHONE: (713) 831-4794
E-MAIL:
pmontgom@rice.edu

RICE CELEBRATES 10 YEARS OF MAKING MATH FUN FOR KIDS

After hearing that middle school students won’t stop
messing around for lunch or quit to go home, most people would be surprised to
learn that the kids are attracted to a bunch of tough guys named algebra,
geometry, fractions and probabilities.

Coming on strong is the math gang led by the Rice University School Math
Project (RUSMP). After 10 years of working with teachers in some of the toughest
and poorest schools in the city, RUSMP is making a difference in a big way.

Houston-area principles and teachers say math scores are up and, more
importantly, students love to learn because of RUSMP. In classes taught by more
than 1,000 Math Project-trained teachers, students are using matches, straws,
scissors, calculators and lots of paper to learn about math and apply it to
their lives.

To highlight a decade of progress Rice is hosting a celebration on Sept. 28,
with underwriting by Texaco, Inc., for all the RUSMP participating teachers from
Houston Independent School District (HISD), Aldine ISD, Fort Bend ISD, Spring
Branch ISD and other districts.

Highlights of the event will be a workshop for teachers; and speeches by John
Polking, a Rice professor of mathematics and an expert on K-12 math education;
and Uri Treisman, professor of mathematics and executive director of the Texas
Statewide Systemic Initiative.

The Math Project began with a good dose of idealism and gumption after
Raymond Wells, Rice professor of mathematics and chair of the department of
education, heard in 1985 a fellow mathematician urge researchers to “get off
their tails” and get involved in K-12 education. Wells did get involved by
creating RUSMP with the help of Rice faculty and Houston-area teachers.

The Math Project promotes effective teaching, encourages hands-on math
projects in the classroom, supports local school reform in mathematics
education. A recent project is Algebra On-Line, a cable show for teachers,
students and parents. The program is sponsored by HISD and the Math Project. The
show began airing in September on Channel 18.

###