2011-2012
This list serves at least two wonderful purposes. We ask students this question all the time. When they list things mathematicians do, we can always say, "Do you do these things? When you do them, you are doing the things mathematicians do. You are a mathematician!"
When a student is stuck, or needs a new strategy, we always ask the question, "What do mathematicians do?" Somewhere on the list is likely to be a good strategy for any particular problem.
The list is long, gathered from students and adults at Mustard Seed School. If sometimes a word choice sounds like it came from a child, it probably did. They own this list!
1. Solve problems
2. Create problems
3. Graph
4. Predict answers
5. Make grids
6. Use coordinates
7. Discover new things
8. Create order
9. Create disorder
10. Arrange numbers
11. Rearrange numbers
12. Support and build technology
13. Analyze stocks
14. Find formulas
15. Explain formulas
16. Use what they know about small problems to solve big problems
17. Cook
18. Ask questions
19. Experiment with numbers
20. Count
21. Estimate
22. Approximate
23. Make boundaries
24. Think, think, think
25. Prove things
26. Disprove things
27. Calculate
28. Arithmetic
29. Draw pictures
30. Make art
31. Observe patterns
32. Simplify problems
33. Make assumptions
34. Make mistakes
35. Consider the infinite
36. Consider the very small
37. Act out problems
38. Factor
39. Speak the language of creation
40. Speak the language of the universe
41. Speak the language of God
42. Collaborate
43. Get help
44. Use resources
