Idaho Council of Teachers of Mathematics, College of Education Hosted Community Showing of Mathematics Documentary Counted Out

In a joint project between the Idaho Council of Teachers of Mathematics (ICTM), mathematics education professor Dr. Cory Bennett from the Department of Teaching and Educational Studies, and the Idaho Regional Mathematics Center, the new mathematics documentary Counted Out was locally premiered for the greater ISU community this past weekend.

This documentary outlines how so many facets of our lives are underwritten by mathematics and the crisis we face as a nation if people continue to believe they are not “math people.” This showing, followed by a community discussion with an expert panel, provided a powerful opportunity to bring educators and community members together to explore the importance of mathematical literacy in our society.

April Taylor, ICTM president, stated “we want to spark conversations that not only raise awareness but also drive meaningful action to support effective mathematics teaching and learning.”

As a society, reading and literacy are deeply valued and play a critical role in day to day life.

“Counted Out brings that same awareness and urgency to mathematical literacy—something just as essential for navigating the world around us,” Taylor indicated.

The expert panel consisted of Dr. Cory Bennett, professor of mathematics education at ISU and lead of the Noyce STEM Teacher Project, Idaho Making Progress Against the Critical Teacher Shortage in STEM (IMPACTS in STEM), Noyce Scholar and mathematics teacher Zoe Tassava, Rigby high school teacher Kristen Montague, and two regional mathematics specialists; Dr. Courtney Lamb and Dr. Veronica Blackham.

From shifting mindsets about who can do mathematics to the critical role of mathematical literacy in shaping future opportunities, the expertise of this panel added depth and urgency to the conversation.

“People often confuse or conflate doing mathematics with calculating,” said Dr. Bennett. “But when we begin to understand that the question is not ‘when am I going to use this?” but rather ‘how does mathematics uniquely shape my brain to be more curious and help me become a better problem solver?’ we start to realize that we are all born with mathematical minds. If you have a brain and use it, you are a math person,” Bennett added.

Use the following links to learn more about how ICTM, the IMPACTS in STEM project, and the Idaho Regional Mathematics Centers are supporting teachers of mathematics across Idaho.

Idaho Council of Teachers of Mathematics
IMPACTS in STEM
Idaho Regional Mathematics Centers