Response to Milner et al., 2019: Dancing Euclidean Proofs

Reading Milner et al. (2019) after watching the dance video was both surprising and surprisingly amusing—the written rationale was so much more comprehensive and thoughtful. The authors really took into account various pedagogical tools they had been studying, including the use of movement for engagement, humanizing mathematics, and promoting land-based learning and decolonization. These themes were deeply embedded in the entire process, from conceptualizing to executing the dance. They all fit together like puzzle pieces, forming a larger picture that connects mathematical concepts to our bodies, the land, and our surroundings.

In addition to encouraging movement to help students visualize and internalize mathematical concepts, the article’s emphasis on recognizing patterns in nature was particularly inspiring. Just as the golden ratio and Fibonacci sequence appear throughout nature, other patterns are also present and can be explored in similar ways. Helping students recognize these patterns can engage them while integrating various pedagogical tools. I also see a connection to environmental and social justice here, as teaching students to appreciate nature can be the first step in inspiring them to protect it.

In my practicum, I heard about a teacher candidate in Biology who incorporated movement and visualization in a lesson on the circulatory system. The school’s central area has a balcony overlooking the ground floor, so he had half the class holding balloons and running around below to mimic blood circulation, while the other half observed from the balcony. Then the groups switched, so everyone experienced both perspectives. This approach helped students engage with and retain the content while deepening their understanding.

Some constraints to consider with this approach are classroom management and ensuring all students participate comfortably. Some may feel self-conscious about dancing or other creative activities. Clear instructions and fostering a supportive, safe classroom community are essential to encourage full participation. Additionally, practical constraints like limited time, space, and resources might hinder the use of dance activities in some schools. Grounding the activity with a follow-up discussion, sketching, or writing down observations could help solidify connections between the movement and the abstract concepts, ensuring students don’t lose sight of the mathematical ideas behind the physical enactment.