Making a Difference

Workshops are a conventional, one-on-one learning experience, where volunteers are paired up with students based on their respective abilities and needs. These sessions are usually held in libraries and school media centers and range from an hour to three hours long. The advantages of workshop-style learning are that each child receives personalized attention and is able to connect with their MathAtlanta volunteer. Workshops are also the program with the most direct impact on math outreach, as they serve as a cost-free alternative to conventional tutoring with a similar quality of tutors.

In addition to workshop-style learning, we also hold math info sessions that are more lecture-based. These resemble a more classroom-style sense of learning, though we introduce mathematical concepts in a fun, application-based fashion unlike that of a typical lecture. For example, in order to explain negative numbers we first establish an 'economy' of candy, which entails borrowing candy and owning some. After explaining the scenario, we classify borrowing as holding a negative amount of candy, and positive as having candy. These info sessions range from two to three hours long and are usually held in classrooms.

Volunteering events, unlike workshops and info sessions, are not centered around teaching math to students but are related to assisting underprivileged children in Atlanta as well as promoting math throughout the local community. These events vary greatly and can be held in a variety of different locations and settings, with events lasting from an hour to six or seven hours. Our largest volunteering collaboration has been with the Foster Care Support Foundation in Roswell, GA, where we assist with donations and organization. Additionally, we have also paired with Northview High School's Mu Alpha Theta branch, which is a volunteer-based math club, to provide opportunities for math volunteering to members.