Math Corps teaches kindness, compassion and quadratics
Alex Kontorovich teaching a group of students in the Math Corps program
Rutgers mathematician Alex Kontorovich usually spends summers quietly digging into daunting research topics like analytic number theory and harmonic analysis.
He never imagined himself standing before a sea of high-spirited middle school kids.
But last July Kontorovich brought the acclaimed Math Corps program to Rutgers University–New Brunswick, turning Scott Hall into a summer camp for some 40 seventh and eighth graders and another 20 high school students who signed up to help teach and mentor the middle schoolers.
The four-week program—created by college professors in Michigan to serve Detroit public school children—is renowned for its nurturing approach to teaching math as well as life lessons in kindness, community service, and resilience.
“Math is the vessel through which we try to impart values and decision making”---Alex Kontorovich“I never in my wildest dreams imagined that I would be doing something like this,” said Kontorovich, a Distinguished Professor of Mathematics in the School of Arts and Sciences. “But here we are, and it's happening.”
And it’s getting rave reviews from some of the toughest critics around: Middle school kids.
“When I first heard about it, I was like, ‘I don’t want to do math,’” a seventh grader named Aryahi said during a break from an afternoon chess match. “But it has actually been pretty fun.”
The high school students, meanwhile, say their experience as teaching assistants has been life-affirming and powerful.
“The best part is seeing students grow from their first week regardless of what their math level was,” says Rohan Ambastha, a Glen Ridge High School senior. “Both academically, and as human beings forming bonds, this has been an amazing journey, and it’s awesome to see it happen day after day.”
Math Corps was cofounded in 1992 by Wayne State University professor Steven Khan as an enrichment and mentoring program for students from underserved communities. The program is now a non-profit organization has spread to around 10 other locations in United States.
Kontorovich got interested after talking to a colleague who started one in Ann Arbor. Kontorovich was particularly drawn to the prospect of working with communities beyond Rutgers’ borders.
“There are many research universities doing high-level academic things, but they’re right next to school districts that are suffering,” he said. “How could you not put two and two together and try to make something happen?”
He was impressed by research that shows Math Corps’ track record of boosting students’ math achievement as well as college enrollment rates.
But he also saw that the program is more than math.
“We’re not expecting Fields Medals and Nobels, that’s not what we are going for,” Kontorovich said. “We are going for (preparing) productive members of society who build meaningful lives and contribute to their community.
“Math is just the vessel through which we try to impart values and good decision making.”
The program starts off with breakfast and an assembly covering life and community issues. Then comes 90 minutes of math instruction that includes a class taught by Kontorovich followed by sessions in which one high school student works with two middle school students.
The rapport between older and young students makes learning math less intimidating.
“It’s not like school where it’s a closed environment and big classrooms with lots of people,” says Shaurya, a seventh grader from Hillsboro. “It’s very one on one.”
“In Math Corps you actually have fun while you learn,” adds Madhwesh, an eighth grader from South Brunswick. “They (the high school students) can understand where you are coming from because they have been in your shoes.”
Homework is assigned throughout the four weeks, and attendance is mandatory.
Chess matches are a staple of afternoon activities at the Math Corps program.But there’s still plenty of opportunity for middle-school antics and summer camp spirit. A daily "Discovery" class explores a range of topics beyond school math. And an afternoon activities period involving chess, puzzles, and magic tricks was led by Justin Kalef, a professor in the Department of Philosophy who served as the “Minister of Humor.”
Angelica, a seventh grader from Flemington, said she felt thrilled just being at Rutgers, where she hopes to attend college. She then listed her favorite lunch options at The Yard that she and her fellow campers have been able to avail themselves of during their noontime break.
“I have gone to Jersey Mike’s, Krispy Pizza, and Starbucks, and it has all been really good,” she said. “And the math has actually gone quite well.”
The students were delighted when one of their favorite Math Corps staffers—Rutgers senior John Greaney-Cheng—had to demonstrate some dance moves before the entire camp as the result of losing a chess match.
“We have it on video,” Madhwesh noted.
Greaney-Cheng, a School of Engineering student who also majors in math and computer science at SAS, cherished the Math Corp experience – dancing and all. A dedicated tutor while at Rutgers, Greaney-Cheng served as college instructor at Math Corps, overseeing five high school teaching assistants and 10 students.
“This is the first time I have been in charge of a group,” he said. “Seeing everyone learn, develop and grow is really cool.”
Kontorovich, meanwhile, said the program worked so well, he’s planning to expand it to include ninth graders next year. The first two years are funded largely through National Science Foundation grants. But Kontorovich said he’ll seek philanthropic support to make the free program a Rutgers mainstay.
“We had no idea what would happen when 40 middle schoolers and 20 high schoolers showed up on campus,” he said. “But the program has exceeded every hope and expectation.
“It’s just incredible to see kids coming in on day one not knowing each other, leave with lifelong friendships.”
For more information on Math Corps, contact:
A Math Corps morning assembly led by Joe Dziuba (right), a Rutgers graduate and a public school teacher in New Brunswick. Dziuba served as Dean of Students for the summer Math Corps program at Rutgers.
