The last time we went to BmMT was in January 2020, when current seniors were in 9th grade, right before Covid-19 hit. It’s exciting to lead students to take part in the in-person competition event after such a long time. The majority of the BmMT participants are members of the Middle School Math Club. Simply amazing!
For the past two years, every Friday after school, the Middle School Math Club, with members from Grade 6 to Grade 8, gather in my classroom to enthusiastically work on challenging problems and learn interesting topics from their high school mentors.
Under the help and supervision of teachers (Ms. Jing, Mr. Long, Ms. Han, and Ms. Croker), high school students Victor Yin, Benjie Yan, and Yilan Ruan were the club leaders and mentors for the younger students. They have given multiple sessions on topics from number theory to algebra and provided guidance on how to approach complex problems. They have held problem-solving sessions where students work together to tackle challenging math problems and prepare for competitions. This not only helps the middle school students but also allows the high schoolers to reinforce their own understanding and improve their teaching skills.
Our Middle School Math Club is an example of vertical integration, in which students from different grade levels come together to learn and explore mathematics. This can be particularly beneficial because it allows younger students to learn from older ones, and it gives older students the opportunity to strengthen their knowledge by teaching others as well as developing their leadership skills. The math club fosters a supportive and inclusive environment where all students feel comfortable asking questions and sharing their ideas, creating a community of students who are passionate about math and eager to help each other succeed.
This is my first time ever taking students to math competition. Witnessing their enthusiasm, camaraderie, and intellectual growth, and seeing the joy they took in participating, was immensely gratifying. The air buzzed with excitement as students from different schools huddled around complex math problems, their faces alight with curiosity, resilience, and the thrill of unraveling intricate mathematical puzzles.
The competition was more than a test of skill – it was a celebration of the sheer beauty of math, a world in which numbers speak a language all their own. The students were not merely participants, they were explorers, navigating the fascinating landscape of equations and proofs.
The competition also provided an enlightening glimpse into the possibilities for organizing math competitions at our own school. The event was not just well-organized, but it was structured in a way that facilitated collaboration and intellectual exploration. Seeing the efficacy of this approach, I am now brimming with new ideas to implement in our future Pi Day.
Gavin Zhao’s mom
Finally the BmMT offline tournament returned, and the kids experienced the greatness of competing with teams from all over Beijing, and even from other provinces and cities. On the way to pick up the kids, I heard them keep pairing up the questions, with remorse and excitement, and the intensity and fun of the competition was evident. Thanks to the teachers for leading the team and giving the kids such a great opportunity to participate in the competition. Looking forward to next year‘s competitons!
