1985-present: math education consultant / freelance curriculum developer.
2007-2012: Director, Center for Innovative Teaching (based at the Urban School of San Francisco.) Organized dozens of summer workshops in multiple disciplines for the professional development of educators. For three years, the workshops were offered at an East Coast location as well as at Urban.
Teaching
- 1981-2013: Mathematics Teacher, The Urban School of San Francisco, grades 9-12
- - Math Department Chair (until June 2011); mentoring and evaluation of new teachers.
- - Introduced cooperative groups and hands-on labs; organized teacher collaboration; integrated manipulatives, graphing calculators, computers, and kinesthetics into math classes; led a continuous and thorough development of the math program, including substantial curriculum creation. Shared our program with countless visitors.
- - Taught: Pre-Algebra through Calculus; Probability, Statistics; Logic; Math and Art; advanced electives (chaos theory, fractals, infinite sets, transformational geometry, the fourth dimension); programming in BASIC, Logo, Boxer, Scratch, BYOB, Snap; playwriting.
- - Pioneered many principles and practices that were adopted throughout the school.
- - Designed and repeatedly helped revise the school's block schedule; coordinated the school's accreditation self-study; explored online and blended courses.
- - Retired in June 2013.
- 2006: Adjunct Professor, University of San Francisco
- Taught the Mathematics Field Work course for undergraduates in the Dual Degree (math and education) program.
- 2001-2004: Mathematician, Lawrence Hall of Science (University of California, Berkeley)
- Designing and teaching intensive inservice summer courses (with follow-up sessions during the school-year), as part of the State of California Mathematics Professional Development Institutes and the Bay Area Math Project. 2001: algebra. 2002: number theory, with Professor Ted Slaman. 2003: algebra, with Kim Seashore and Emiliano Gomez
- 1992: Visiting Instructor, Mathematics Education, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC
- Course: Teaching Mathematics with Microcomputers.
- 1987-88: Master Teacher, University of California, Berkeley Gifted Program, School of Education
- Grades 2-3: Measurement and Physical Science.
- Grades 7-8: Probability and Statistics (using Boxer, a
computer environment for education)
- 1981-83: Math/Science/Computer specialist, Lawrence Hall of Science (University of California, Berkeley)
- Teaching hearing-impaired junior high school students;
teaching Micronesian high-school students and teachers; teaching
in a summer day camp; creating a planetarium show; inventing games
and activities; writing teachers' guides.
- 1980-82: Math/Science/Computer specialist, Ecole Bilingue, grades 2-5 (East Bay French American School, Berkeley CA.)
- Math enrichment; software development; astronomy; physical
sciences; drama.
- 1971-80: Classroom teacher, Black Pine Circle School, grades 3-5; Math Specialist, grades K-5. (Berkeley, CA)
- Self-contained classroom; team teaching; astronomy; physical sciences; drama; French. Math enrichment program; developing educational software.
Publications
Website
- A large site for math educators, where I share articles about teaching math, virtual manipulatives, assorted applets, and much curriculum:
- Henri Picciotto's Math Education Page
Books
(How to get some of them.)There Is No One Way to Teach Math: actionable ideas for grades 6-12, co-authored with Robin Pemantle. Coming in Fall 2023 from Routledge.
Created the Algebra Lab Gear, including Lab Gear Activities for Algebra 1 (1995), The Algebra Lab: Middle School (1990), and The Algebra Lab:High School (1990), a manipulatives-based algebra curriculum (Creative Publications, Mountain View, CA, 1990). The Lab Gear has been imitated, but not equaled in mathematical depth or pedagogical savvy. The blocks are available from Didax, along with updated versions of the original books: Algebra Lab Gear: Basic Algebra (2016, grades 6-9) and Algebra Lab Gear: Algebra 1 (2016, grades 7-10).
Created the following works, for math lessons through geometric puzzles in grades K through 12. (Most were originally published by Creative Publications.)
- Tangram Puzzles (2024)
- Working with Pentominoes (a book and e-book published by Didax in 2013, updated from Pentomino Lessons, 1986)
- Pentomino Activities (1984), the Math Machine Pentomino Cards (1984), and Pentomino Puzzles (1986), all three now downloadable here
- Polyomino Lessons (1986)
- SuperTangram Activities (1 and 2) (1986), SuperTangrams for Beginners (1 and 2) (1987), and Supertangram Puzzles (2023) —all downloadable here.
Co-authored Zome Geometry (Key Curriculum Press, 2001, Emeryville, CA) with George W. Hart. This is a book on polyhedra and much more, based on models built with Zometoool.
Wrote Geometry Labs a book of discussion-provoking activities for grades 8-11 (1999, Key Curriculum Press, Emeryville, CA). The book is available for free download on this site.
Co-authored, with Anita Wah, Algebra: Themes, Tools, Concepts, a textbook (Creative Publications, Mountain View, CA, 1994). The book is available for free download on this site, along with much supporting material.
Co-authored Energy, a physics workbook for educationally handicapped teenagers, with Cary Sneider (1984, Janus Book Publishers, Hayward, CA.)
Seeking a publisher for Look! Up in the Sky!an introduction to the Solar System for grades 4 and up.
Articles
"Boxer: A Teacher's Experience"
- On my website's About Teaching page:
- "Against Hyper-Acceleration"
- "The Assessment Trap"
- Big-Picture Planning
- "The Common Core High School Math Standards — a closer look"
- "For a Tool-Rich Pedagogy"
- "The Place and Purpose of Puzzles in Math Curriculum"
- "Reaching the Full Range"
- (and more)
- ...plus many posts on my blog, including:
- Retakes vs. Test Corrections vs. Neither
- Taking Notes vs. Doing Math
"Tiling" (Parts 1 and 2, California Math Council ComMuniCator, vol. 46 No. 2, December 2021, and vol. 46 No. 3, March 2022 — based on this blog post.)
Remembering Lew Douglas (California Math Council ComMuniCator, vol. 44 No. 2, December 2019)
Symmetric Polygons, by Lew Douglas and Henri Picciotto (California Math Council ComMuniCator, vol. 42 No. 2, December 2017)
There Are Too Many Standards (California Math Council ComMuniCator, vol. 41 No. 1, September 2016) This is part of the argument I make in my article about the Common Core.
"Square-Sum Pair Partitions", by Gordon Hamilton, Kiran S. Kedlaya, and Henri Picciotto (College Mathematics Journal, vol. 46, No. 0, 2015). Winner of the 2016 George Pólya Award of the Mathematics Association of America.
Function Diagrams, (California Math Council ComMuniCator, vol 38 No. 4, June 2014)
"Why I Use Interactive Whiteboards" (The Mathematics Teacher, November 2010.) An earlier version appeared on my Math Education Blog.
"Escape from the Textbook", by Henri Picciotto and Carlos Cabana (California Math Council ComMuniCator, vol 35 No. 1, September 2010)
"A New Path to the Quadratic Formula" (The Mathematics Teacher, February 2008).
"Into the Domain of Shared Endeavor: Teacher Collaboration" by Jonathan Howland and Henri Picciotto, Independent School, Spring 2003
"Ceding the Survey: Depth vs. Breadth in Secondary Curriculum", by Jonathan Howland and Henri Picciotto, The Urban Community, April 1999
"The Turtle in the Age of the Mouse: Why I Still Teach Programming" (Proceedings: Inquiry-Based Geometry Throughout the Secondary Curriculum.St. Olaf College, Northfield, MN 1997)
"Iterating Linear Functions", by Jonathan Choate and Henri Picciotto, (The Mathematics Teacher, February 1997)
"Make These Designs", a graphing calculator lesson on linear functions (The Mathematics Teacher, May 1996).
"Operation Sense, Tool-Based Pedagogy, Curricular Breadth: A Proposal", a chapter in Employing Children's Natural Powers to Build Algebraic Reasoning in the Context of Elementary Mathematics, James Kaput, editor (a book which apparently never came out).
Co-authored "A new Algebra: Tools, Themes, Concepts" with Anita Wah (Journal of Mathematical Behavior, v 12, #1, March 1993).
Co-authored "Learning About Sampling with Boxer" for the Journal of Mathematical Behavior, v 10, # 1 (1991). Wrote "Teacher-Created Educational Software: BASIC, Logo, Boxer" (Technical Report E4, the Boxer Group, Graduate School of Education, University of California, Berkeley, 1989), which was excerpted in Logo Exchange (International Society for Technology in Education, Portland, OR, March 1990).
Wrote "Polyarcs", "Simultaneous Pentomino Rectangles", and "Tetratan Puzzles", three articles on my explorations of geometric puzzles. All published in World Game Review (Special Issue on Polyforms, December 1989, Ellicott City, MD).
Wrote three brainteasers for Games magazine (New York): "Math McPuzzle", "Colorist to the King" (April/May 1987), and "Small Change" (June/July 1987).
Blog
- My Math Education Blog, where I share essays on math education, announce updates to my website, and publicize my workshops. Among the most popular posts:
- Taking Notes vs. Doing Math
- Retakes vs. Test Corrections vs. Neither
- Detracking: How To
- Understanding "understanding"
- Freakonomics Radio on Math Curriculum
- On NCTM: Part 1 | Part 2
- No One Way
- First Day of School
- Random Groups
- Geometry: A Guided Inquiry
Other Media
Wrote Delving into Functions with Function Diagrams for NCTM's online journal ON-Math (Volume 5, #1, 2006-2007).
Provided commentary on video for the Quadratic Equations unit of Seeing Math, a joint project of the Concord Consortium and PBS.
Wrote two units on algebra for the INTEC on-line course for teachers.
Wrote three lessons on algebra as part of Teaching Mathematics with Manipulatives, an in-service video course (University of South Carolina, Ed Dickey, editor.)
Created Logo Math: Tools and Games, a comprehensive computer environment to enhance the discovery-based learning of secondary school mathematics (Terrapin Software, Cambridge MA, 1990).
Conceived, designed, and programmed Guesstimation, a computer game to develop students' grasp of number line relationships for whole numbers, integers, decimals, and fractions. (E.M.E Corporation, Danbury, CT, 1987.)
Helped develop kits for the informal learning of physics and mathematics, as a member of the Games Project at Lawrence Hall of Science: Rubber Bones, Bompers, Limbericks, Speed-O-Meter. Wrote all accompanying text and teachers' manuals (1983.)
Consulting
(Math Education Consulting)
- South Dakota State University, November 2024
- Webinar: Geometric Puzzles for Prospective Teachers
- Mid-Peninsula High School, Menlo Park CA, June 2022-March 2023
- Consultant and facilitator for math program review
- French-American International School, San Francisco, January 2023
- Professional Development workshop: "Differentiating Instruction"
- College Prep School, Oakland CA, December 2021-February 2022
- Mentoring the Math Department Chair
- University of Michigan School of Education, January 2021
- Webinar: Transformational Geometry for Teachers
- National Museum of Mathematics, January-April 2020
- Curriculum development: Symmetry summer camp week (grades 1-6)
- San Francisco Day School, January-April 2020
- Math program review, curriculum development support
- Bay Area Teachers and Mathematicians, San Jose, July 2019
- Presentation: "Running Math Teachers' Circles: Some Suggestions"
- Chapin School, New York NY, (2015-2019)
- Consultant and facilitator for in-depth multi-year K-12 math curriculum review
- (classroom visits, meetings, professional development workshops, remote support, coaching, management of process)
- Kent Place School, Summit NJ, April 2019, June 2019
- Classroom visits, meetings, feedback on middle and high school math program.
- Professional development workshop (Reaching the Full Range, Rich Activities)
- Menlo School, Atherton CA, June 2019
- Professional development workshop: selected topics
- Stevenson School, Pebble Beach CA, June 2019
- "The Long Period: an opportunity", one-day workshop with the Math Department
- Urban School, June 2014, March 2019
- Professional development: how to teach Space (post-Algebra 2 elective)
- Sacramento Waldorf School, February 2019
- K-12 math curriculum review and faculty professional development
- Berkeley Carroll School, Brooklyn NY, June 2018
- "The Long Period: an opportunity", one-day workshop with the Math Department
- Synapse School, Menlo Park Ca, October 2017
- Thorough audit of K-8 math program (classroom visits, meetings, report)
- Wyoming Seminary, Scranton PA, May 2017
- "The Long Period: an opportunity", two-day workshop with the Math Department
- San Francisco Day School, March 2017
- "Trends in Math Education", presentation for parents
- Ecole Bilingue, Berkeley CA, November 2016-February 2017
- Coaching the middle school math teacher
- "Trends in Math Education", presentation for parents
- Curriculum advice
- New Roads School, Santa Monica CA, January 2017
- "Reaching the Full Range", and "Teacher Collaboration" workshop
- Classroom visits and meetings
- Cupertino Union School District, August 2016
- "Hands-On Geometry" two-day workshop for 8th grade Geometry teachers
- Urban School of San Francisco Math Department, July 2016
- "Proof in Transformational Geometry", one-day workshop
- Morristown-Beard School, Morristown, NJ, November 2015
- Presentation to 6-12 faculty: "Depth over Breadth"
- Presentation to 6-12 faculty: "The Art of Teaching"
- Consultant on high school curriculum revision
- Norwood School, Bethesda MD, October 2015
- "Pattern Blocks and Pentominoes", workshop for K-8 faculty
- Mini-workshops:
- "Place Value and Egyptian numerals" (K-2)
- "McNuggets and Combining Operations" (3-4)
- "Mod Clocks and Other Function Machines" (5-8).
- Winston School, Del Mar CA, September 2015
- Introduction to the Lab Gear manipulatives for algebra (workshop for the whole faculty)
- Friends Seminary, New York NY, January-June 2015
- Transition to the longer period: meetings and workshops with the Math Department.
- Workshops for broader faculty group: "The Art of Teaching", and "Depth vs. Breadth"
- Morristown-Beard School, Morristown, NJ, January 2015
- Professional Development days: Tool-rich Pedagogy and Student-Centered Teaching
- Fremont Unified High School District, 2014-2015
- (with Lew Douglas) Professional development on Transformational Geometry
Three workshops with all the geometry teachers in the district
- South San Francisco USD, inservice workshops for Common Core readiness, October 2014
- Proportional Relationships in middle school
- Using GeoGebra in high school
- The Bush School, Seattle, 2014
- Consultant on revamping of the middle school math program.
- San Francisco Math Circles, August 2014
- Presentation: Developing a Problem-Solving Culture
- Blue Oak School, Napa, April 2014
- Parent night, preceded by a meeting with teacher leaders
- Fresno Unified School District, November 2013 to June 2014
- Ten workshops on Common Core topics for middle school teachers, plus curriculum development
- Wildwood School, Los Angeles, October 2013
- Thorough audit of middle school and high school math program
- Renaissance Charter School, Queens NY, September 2013
- Inservice workshop for grades 7-12 math teachers, site visit
- Pingry School, New Jersey, June 2013
- Professional development days for the math department, to assist in transition to a one-to-one laptop situation and a new longer-period schedule.
- Blue Oak School, Napa, February 2013, Fall 2013
- "Student-Centered Math", workshops and training for teachers of grades K-8.
- Oxbow School, Napa, 2012-2013
- Ongoing support / coaching for the math program.
- College Prep School, Oakland CA, May 2012
- Helping the math department move towards a collaborative model: meetings with the chair and facilitation of professional development days.
- Athenian School, Danville, May 2012
- "Teacher Collaboration", a presentation to the science department, to open a professional development day.
- Synergy School, San Francisco, 2011-12
- Assessment of the middle school math program and advice on next steps
- Panel, Head-Royce School, Oakland CA, March 2010
- "Teaching in the Long Period"
- Presentations to the math department, and consultation with the instructional leadership at Chapin School, New York NY, February 2010
- "Reimagining High School Mathematics"
- "Nothing Works"
- Demonstration lesson: "Polyomino Perimeter"
- Chapin School, New York City (February 2010)
- Envision Schools, Oakland CA (February 2008)
- Presentation to the Little Red Elizabeth Irwin Math Department, New York NY, February 2010
- Presentation to the Friends Seminary Math Department, New York NY, February 2010
- "Reimagining High School Mathematics"
- Presentation to the Peddie School Math Department, Hightstown NJ, January 2010
- "Seeking Depth in Algebra 2"
- Presentation to department chairs, Berkeley Carroll School, Brooklyn NY, Nov 2009
- "Curricular Innovation: the Urban School Math Department"
- Conversation with Calhoun Math Department, New York NY, November 2009
- "Teaching math in the long period"
- Consultant, Friends School, San Francisco
- Advice on new middle school math program, March 2009.
- Consultant, Redwood Day School, Oakland
- Advice on new high school math program, November 2008.
- Consultant and mentor (supporting teachers, providing advice and training on curriculum and pedagogy)
- San Francisco Day School, 2005-2006
- The San Francisco School, 2004-2006
- Leadership Public Schools, San Francisco Bay area, 2003-2006
- Synergy School, San Francisco, 2002-2004
- Presentation for parent education: "Trends in Mathematics Education"
- The San Francisco School, November 2005
- San Francisco Day School, October 2005
- Synergy School, San Francisco, November 2002
- San Francisco Day School, December 2001
- Sierra School Open Minds event, March 1995
- Urban School 25th Anniversary event, October 1994
- Presentations: "Benefits and Trade-Offs of Block Scheduling" and "Depth over Breadth"
- Westridge School, Pasadena CA, October 2005
- Consultant, Crowden School, Berkeley
- Analysis of math program, suggestions for change. April 2003.
- Presentation: "Teacher Collaboration", with Jonathan Howland
- Woodside Priory School, Portola Valley CA, May 2003
- College Preparatory School, Oakland CA, April 2003
- Consultant, Prospect-Sierra School, El Cerrito, CA
- Meeting with middle school algebra teacher on curriculum, November 2002.
- Meeting with the Mathematics Department, as consultant on teacher collaboration
- College Preparatory School (Oakland, CA), November 2001
- Two-day visit as consultant on "Benefits and Trade-Offs of Block Scheduling" and "Depth over Breadth", including presentations and many meetings.
- Concord Academy, (Concord, MA) April 2001
- Three-day visit to provide a full evaluation of the math program
- Crystal Springs Upland School, Hillsborough, CA, October 2000 (The visiting team included Deborah Hughes Hallett and Emily Scheinman, and was led by Lew Douglas.)
- Workshop: "Block scheduling: benefits and trade-offs"
- Northfield-Mount Hermon School, MA, April 2000
- Guest speaker for Math Night: "The McNuggets Problem"
- Acalanes High School, Lafayette, CA, June 1998
- Tele-workshop: "Mathematics in the block schedule"
- Beaver Country Day School, MA, October 1997
- Math specialist and resource: training teachers; organizing math lab; coordinating curriculum; teaching demonstration lessons, running math inservice workshops. Yearly school-wide themes: Probability and Statistics; Geometry; Measurement.
- Sierra School, grades K-6, El Cerrito CA, 1985-1991
- Probability curriculum unit review.
- Interactive Math Project (Lawrence Hall of Science, San Francisco State University) Summer 1989
- Presentation to high school math department: "Cooperative Learning"
- University High School, San Francisco CA, June 1988
Workshops
- Workshop: Geometric Puzzles
- Santa Cruz Math Circle, February 2024
- Florida Math Circle Network Conference, September 2022 (online)
- Marin Academy Math Blast, April 2022
- Bay Area Teachers and Mathematicians Immersion, July 2018
- Museum of Math Round Table, New York, April 2018
- East Bay Math Teachers' Circle, Hayward CA, November 2017
- Workshop: "Tiles and Rep-tiles"
- San Francisco Math Teachers' Circle, January 2023
- Brookhaven National Lab Gifted Student Program, April 2018
- Marin Math Circle, March 2018
- Online Workshop: Number Pyramids
- Atrium School Summer Institute, Watertown MA, July 2021
- Summer Workshop: "No Limits!" (2-3 days — Algebra 2, Trigonometry, Precalculus)
- Hybrid, hosted by Menlo School, Atherton CA, with Rachel Chou (August 2021)
- At Menlo School, Atherton CA, with Rachel Chou (August 2018)
- At the Principia School, Saint Louis MO (July 2016)
- Center for Innovative Teaching, Urban School of San Francisco (June 2014)
- Chapin School, NY (August 2013)
- Center for Innovative Teaching, Urban School of San Francisco (June 2011)
- Center for Innovative Teaching, Urban School of San Francisco (August 2009)
- Center for Innovative Teaching, Urban School of San Francisco (July-August 2007)
- Online Workshop: Geometric Puzzles, Virtually
- Julia Robinson Math Festival, Math Buffet recording (March 2021)
- American Institute of Mathematics, Math Teachers' Circle (February 2021)
- Online Workshop: "Virtual Manipulatives"
- AC3ME and SFMTA (local NCTM affiliates), November 2020
- Online Workshop: "Symmetry"
- Atrium School Summer Institute, Watertown MA, July 2021
- San Francisco State University preservice teachers, October 2020
- Summer Workshop: "Hands-On Geometry" (2-4 days)
- Online, hosted by Atrium School, Watertown MA (July 2020)
- Head-Royce School, Oakland CA (June 2017)
- Carroll School, Waltham MA (August 2015)
- Center for Innovative Teaching, Urban School of San Francisco (June 2014)
- Chapin School, NY (August 2013)
- Center for Innovative Teaching, Urban School of San Francisco (June 2012)
- Center for Innovative Teaching, Flint Hill School, Oakton VA (August 2011)
- Center for Innovative Teaching, Urban School of San Francisco (July 2010)
- Center for Innovative Teaching, Urban School of San Francisco (August 2008)
- Online Workshop: "More Graph Paper Explorations"
- Berkeley Math Circle, Intermediate (April 2020)
- Workshop:"Infinity"
- Berkeley Math Teachers' Circle, (February 2020)
- Workshop: "Lessons from Lew" (with Kim Seashore)
- Bay Area Math Project, Berkeley CA (October 2019)
- Summer Workshop: "Visual Algebra" (2-4 days)
- Atrium School, Watertown MA (August 2019)
- Synapse School, Menlo Park CA (June 2019)
- Menlo School, Atherton CA (August 2018)
- For the New York City Dept of Education (July 2018)
- Principia School, Saint Louis MO (July 2016)
- Head-Royce School, Oakland CA (June 2016)
- Carroll School, Waltham MA (August 2015)
- Bush School, Seattle (August 2015)
- Center for Innovative Teaching, Urban School of San Francisco (June 2013)
- Center for Innovative Teaching, Chapin School, NY (August 2012)
- Center for Innovative Teaching, Urban School of San Francisco (July 2010)
- Center for Innovative Teaching, Flint Hill School, Oakton VA (June 2010)
- Center for Innovative Teaching, Urban School of San Francisco (August 2009)
- Center for Innovative Teaching, Urban School of San Francisco (August 2008)
- Center for Innovative Teaching, Urban School of San Francisco (July-August 2007)
- Center for Innovative Teaching, Urban School of San Francisco (August 2006)
- Workshop: Connect the Dots! (Geoboards and dot paper)
- Marin Math Circle (grades 5-8), April 2019
- East Bay Math Teachers' Circle, February 2019
- Workshop: "The Mathematics of Pattern Blocks"
- Marin Math Circle (grades 3-8), October 2018
- American Institute for Math Teachers' Circle, San Jose, March 2015
- Workshop: "Math on Another Planet"
- East Bay Math Teachers' Circle, September 2018
- Marin Math Circle (middle school), September 2018
- American Institute for Math Teachers' Circle, San Jose, April 2016, June 2016
- Workshop: "Lab Gear: Manipulatives for Algebra"
- Two-day workshop, NYC Dept of Education Algebra for All, July 2018
- Two-day workshop, presented twice, NYC Dept of Education Algebra for All, July-Aug 2017
- Session for pre-service teachers, San Francisco State University, October 2016
- Session for pre-service teachers, Santa Clara University, February 2009
- Session for pre-service teachers, SF State University, November 2007
- Half-day workshop, Castlemont High School, Oakland, May 2004
- All-day workshop, Key Curriculum Press / UC Extension, San Diego, January 2003, April 2002
- All-day workshop, Key Curriculum Press / UC Extension, Emeryville, January 2003, March 2002, March 2001
- Half-day workshop, Klein Unified School District, TX, August 2000
- Teacher Enhancement Workshop sessions, Lewes, DE, July 1995
- Two-day course, Charlotte, NC, July 1994
- Two-day course, Johnston, Iowa (organized by Heartland AEA) June 1994
- All-day workshops in 7 North Carolina towns (sponsor: Math Science Education Network) June 1993
- Training for Create A Vision consultants, January 1993
- All-day workshops in Minneapolis, Denver (organized by Creative Publications, Mountain View, CA) Nov 1992
- North Carolina Department of Public Instruction, Summer Algebra Institute, ten 2-hour workshops July 1992
- All-day workshops in Seattle, LA, Chicago, Washington, Orlando, Houston (Creative Publications) June 1992
- New Hanover Schools (Wilmington, NC) May 1992
- Functions Research Group (UC Berkeley) March 1992
- North Carolina State University, secondary math seminar (Raleigh) February 1992
- Math Science Education Center (University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill) August 1991
- Durham County Schools (Durham, NC) June 1991
- Granger Junior High (National City, CA.) October 1990
- Creative Publications consultants (Sunnyvale, CA) April, September 1990
- Henry Hall Middle School (Larkspur, CA) September 1990
- Mill Valley Middle School (Mill Valley, CA) April 1990
- Marin Academy (San Rafael, CA) February 1990
- Holy Names College, secondary math student teachers, November 1989
- Workshop: Playing with Pentominoes
- Museum of Math Family Friday, New York, April 2018
- Workshop: Go 3D with Zome!
- Math Teachers' Circle, San Jose CA, November 2017
- Math Teachers' Circle, Palo Alto CA, November 2017
- Workshop: "Taxicab Geometry"
- East Bay Math Teachers' Circle, Lafayette CA, September 2017
- AIM Math Teachers Immersion Workshop, San Jose CA, July 2017
- AIM Math Teachers' Circle, San Jose CA, April 2017
- AIM Math Teachers' Circle, Palo Alto CA, April 2017
- Summer Workshop: "Transformational Geometry"
- At Head-Royce School in Oakland CA (June 2017)
- At the Bush School, Seattle (August 2015)
- Bay Area Math Project, Cupertino CA (August 2014)
-- co-presenter with Lew Douglas - Math for America Summer Workshop, Midway UT, July-August 2014
-- co-presenter with Prof. Emina Alibegovic - Center for Innovative Teaching, Urban School of San Francisco (June 2014)
- Bay Area Math Project, Napa CA (June 2014)
-- co-presenter with Lew Douglas and Emiliano Gomez - Bay Area Math Project, Albany CA (June 2013)
-- co-presenter with Lew Douglas and Patrick Callahan
- Workshop for high school students: "Archimedean Tilings and Polyhedra"
- Marin Academy, San Rafael CA, April 2017
- Workshop: "Proof in Transformational Geometry"
- Math for America, Blanding UT, April 2017
- Workshop: "Geoboard Problems for Teachers"
- San Francisco Math Teachers' Circle, March 2017
- Workshops for grades 2-3 and 4-5: "Pentomino Puzzles"
- Synapse School Math Circle, Menlo Park CA, December 2016
- Summer Workshop: "Making Sense in Algebra 2"
- At the Head-Royce School, Oakland CA (July 2016)
- Workshop: "The Symmetries of Platonic and Archimedean Solids"
- American Institute for Math Teachers' Circle, Stanford, October 2015
- Summer Workshop: "GeoGebra for Teachers" (1 day)
- Center for Innovative Teaching, Urban School of San Francisco (June 2014)
- Workshop: "Connecting the Dots: Geoboard Area"
- University of San Francisco Mathematics undergraduates symposium, April 2014
- American Institute for Math Teachers' Circle, Palo Alto, February 2014
- Three Paths to the Quadratic Formula
- Math for America Utah Fall Workshop (October 2013)
- (Center for Science and Mathematics Education, University of Utah)
- Summer Workshop: "Reimagining High School Math" (2 days)
- Center for Innovative Teaching, Urban School of San Francisco (June 2013)
- Center for Innovative Teaching, Chapin School, NY (August 2012)
- Workshop: "Function Diagrams"
- American Institute for Math Teachers' Circle, Palo Alto, March 2013
- Bay Area Math Teachers' Circle, Oakland, January 2013
- Workshop for preservice teachers: "Infinity"
- School of Education, University of California Berkeley (February 2013)
- Workshop: "Computer Programming and Math with BYOB/SNAP"
- Bay Area Professional Development Outreach Group (affiliated with the Park City Mathematics Institute), Palo Alto, February 2013
- Workshop for pre-service teachers: "Geoboard Lessons / Everything I know"
- School of Education, Sonoma State University (December 2012)
- Three sessions: "Staircases", "Nothing Works", "Pattern Block Trains"
- Math for America Utah Fall Workshop (October 2012)
- (Center for Science and Mathematics Education, University of Utah)
- Workshop: "Pattern Block Trains" and "The McNuggets Problem"
- San Francisco Math Circle (May 2012)
- Workshop for preservice teachers: "The Pythagorean Geoboard"
- School of Education, University of California Berkeley (April 2012)
- Workshop for preservice teachers: "Everything I know"
- School of Education, University of California Berkeley (December 2011)
- Workshop, Math for America, New York City, November 2009 (1 day)
- Go 3D with Zome
- The Pythagorean Geoboard
- Summer Workshop: "Tool-based Algebra"
- Bishop O'Dowd School, Oakland CA (July 2008)
- Afternoon Workshops: "Tool-based Algebra"
- Skyline High School, Oakland CA (April-May 2008)
- Presentations: "Three Paths to the Quadratic Formula" and "Proof in High School Math"
- Bay Area Professional Development Outreach Group (affiliated with the Park City Mathematics Institute), Palo Alto, January 2007
- Workshop: Incorporating the Geoboard in a Geometry Course
- Gann Academy (New Jewish High School) Math Department, Waltham MA, May 2004
- All-day workshop: "Manipulatives in Secondary School"
- Key Curriculum Press / UC Extension, Emeryville, January 2004
- Mathematician, California Mathematics Professional Development Institute, Delano, CA
- Four-day algebra institute, June 2003; one-day follow-up, October 2003
- Workshop: "Geometry Labs"
- All-day workshop, Key Curriculum Press / UC Extension, San Diego, March 2003, January 2002
- All-day workshop, Key Curriculum Press / UC Extension, Emeryville, February 2003, January 2002, January 2001
- Lawton, Oklahoma Public Shools (Create A Vision, Mountain View, CA) May 1995
- Workshop: "Signed Number Arithmetic -- In Depth"
- Guest presenter, Lawrence Hall of Science Mathematics Professional Development Initiative in Algebra, (Berkeley, CA) March 2001
- Workshop: "Objects to think with: hands-on mathematics"
- Boston, MA, Museum of Science staff, April 2000
- Field expert for the INTEC on-line course on teaching algebra with manipulatives, 1998/99.
- Three-day workshops, and two-week summer institutes: "A New Algebra"
- New Orleans Public Schools June-July 1997, January 1998, June-July 1998
- Workshop: "Fonctions Affines sur la TI-92" ("Linear Functions on the TI-92")
- Université d'été, Université Joseph Fourier, Grenoble, France, July 1996
- All-day workshops: "A New Algebra"
- Acalanes Unified School District, August 1995
- Creative Publications-sponsored workshop for Haddonfield, NJ teachers, July 1995
- Alief, Texas schools, July 1995
- Connecticut Department of Education April 1994
- Create A Vision seminars (Montclair NJ; San Francisco, CA) July 1993
- Workshop: "Functions"
- Teacher Enhancement Workshop sessions, Lewes, DE, July 1995
- Two-day course, Charlotte NC, July 1995
- Acalanes Unified School District, August 1994
- Workshops: "Trends in Mathematics Education"
- Westridge School, Pasadena, CA, November 1993
- Acalanes Unified School District, September 1993
- Workshops: "Manipulatives in Secondary Math"
- DesMoines, Iowa, Independent Community School District. August, September 1993
- San Francisco Education Fund, January, March 1991
- San Francisco Unified School District, April, Dec 1990
- San Lorenzo Unified School District, March 1990
- Workshop for K-8 Teachers: "Geometric Puzzles"
- University of North Carolina (Chapel Hill, NC.) March 1992
- Durham Arts Council, NC, November 1991
- San Bruno USD, CA February 1988
- Workshop series: "Manipulatives in Junior High School"
- King Junior High, Berkeley CA, January-March 1991
- One-week Institute: "Manipulatives, Computers, Discovery in Secondary Math" August 1990
- Lecture in Summer Institute for K-8 teachers: "Geometric Puzzles" August 1987
- Demonstration Lesson, grades 3-6: "Inventing Puzzles" February 1986
- Nueva Learning Center, Hillsborough CA
- Workshop: "Logo Math: Tools and Games"
- University of California, Berkeley, secondary math student teachers March 1990
- The Boxer Group, UC Berkeley School of Education, May 1989
- Workshop: "Creativity"
- JFK University, Orinda, CA March 1990
- Demonstration lessons and workshops: "Tangrams", "Polyominoes", "Pentominoes"
- Orinda Unified School District, CA, Spring 1988
- Workshops: "Geometric Puzzles", "The California Mathematics Framework", "Computer Tools in Secondary Math"
- Demonstration lessons on geometric puzzles in grades 1-8.
- Maumee Valley Country Day School, grades K-12, Toledo OH, October 1987
- Demonstration lesson: "Geoboards and SuperTangrams"
- Pennycook School, Vallejo Unified School District, 5th grade June 1987
- "Cooperation, Logo and Other Escapes from Tradition"
- Woodrow Wilson Institute Workshop (College Preparatory School, Oakland CA.) June 1987
Presentations at Professional Conferences
- Practical Strategies to Reach the Full Range of Students
- California Math Council, Northern Section, Asilomar, December 2024
- "Fractions: The Well-Chosen Rectangle and a Challenge" (grades 3-5)
- California Math Council, Northern Section, Asilomar, December 2023
- Remote presentation: "Boxer, A Teacher's Experience"
- <Programming> Conference, Porto (Portugal), March 2022
- "Tiling (Tessellation): A Springboard Into Geometry"
- California Math Council, Northern Section, Asilomar, December 2021
- Online workshop: "Symmetry"
- California Math Council, Northern Section, December 2020
- "Lessons from Lew" (with Kim Seashore)
- California Math Council, Northern Section, Asilomar, December 2019
- "Connecting the Dots: Geoboards and Dot Paper"
- California Math Council, Northern Section, Asilomar, December 2019
- EBCC Charter School Symposium, Oakland CA, October 2013
- "Reaching the Full Range"
- California Math Council, Northern Section, Asilomar, December 2018
- Taste of TMC, Walnut Creek CA, October 2018
- AC3ME webinar, May 2018
- PCMI Reconnect webinar, February 2018
- Twitter Math Camp, Atlanta, July 2017
- Global Math Department webinar, November 2016
- UC Berkeley's School of Education, October 2015
- Taxicab Geometry
- Math Teachers' Circle, NCTM National Meeting, Washington DC, April 2018
- Quadratic Equations and Functions
- NCTM National Meeting, Washington DC, April 2018
- "Geometric Puzzles"
- California Math Council, Northern Section, Asilomar, December 2017
- California Association of Independent Schools, Southern Region, March 2000
- California Association of Independent Schools, Northern Region, March 1999
- National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, Western Region, February 1989
- California Math Council, Central Section, Fresno, October 1988
- California Math Council, Northern Section, Asilomar, December 1987
- California Association of Independent Schools, Math Day, Hillsborough, March 1986
- Reimagining High School Math
- Webinar, Independent Curriculum Group, February 2017
- Panel, Independent Curriculum Group conference, Philadelphia, January 2010
- Presentation, Independent Curriculum Group conference, New York, January 2010
- "Time Pressure: Bad for Students, Bad for Teachers" (Ignite!)
- California Math Council, Northern Section, Asilomar, December 2016
- "Computing Transformations with Complex Numbers and Matrices"
- California Math Council, Northern Section, Asilomar, December 2016
- "A Deep Dive into Transformational Proof" (with Lew Douglas)
- California Math Council, Northern Section, Asilomar, December 2016
- "Equivalent Expressions with the Lab Gear"
- National Council of Teachers of Math, Regional Meeting, Phoenix, October 2016
- National Council of Teachers of Math, Annual Meeting, San Francisco, April 2016
- California Math Council, Northern Section, Asilomar, December 2015
- East Bay Charter Connect, October 2014
- "Common Core: We Need to Talk!"
- Twitter Math Camp, Minneapolis MN, July 2016
- "The Two-Color Theorem"
- Math Corner, NCTM Central, NCTM Annual Meeting, San Francisco, April 2016
- Math Teachers' Circles Cove, NCTM Annual Meeting, San Francisco, April 2016
- "Function Diagrams: A Visual Tool for Secondary Math"
- California Math Council, Northern Section, Asilomar, December 2013
- "The Common Core: A closer look"
- "Re-Imagining High School Math: More Access, More Challenge"
- Nueva Innovative Learning Conference, Hillsborough CA, October 2013
- "Strengthening Math Departments" (with Laura Hawkins)
- California Association of Independent Schools, Oakland CA, March 2013
- "Scaling Pentominoes"
- Workshop for grades K-8 teachers, Bay Area Math Project, Berkeley CA, June 2012
- "Staircases"
- Workshop for grades 6-12 teachers, Bay Area Math Project, Berkeley CA, June 2012
- "Seeking Depth in Algebra 2"
- NCTM Summer Institute on Reasoning and Sense Making, Orlando, August 2011
- Minicourse, with Naoko Akiyama, National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, San Antonio, April 2003
- Minicourse, with Naoko Akiyama and Scott Nelson, California Math Council, Southern Section, Palm Springs, November 2001
- Kindergarten Toys in High School
- TEDxSFED event, Urban School, San Francisco, April 2011
- Escape from the Textbook!
- Math 2.0 Interest Group webinar, March 2011
- California Association of Independent Schools, Oakland CA, March 2011 (with Liz Caffrey)
- California Math Council, Northern Section, Asilomar, December 2010 (with Carlos Cabana)
- California Math Council, Southern Section, Palm Springs, November 2010
- Panel: "Disciplinary Learning at the Urban School"
- Independent Curriculum Group conference, New York City, January 2011
- The Geometry of Conic Sections
- California Association of Independent Schools, North Hollywood, CA March 2010
- California Math Council, Northern Section, Asilomar, December 2009
- Space: an Alternate Elective after Algebra 2
- California Association of Independent Schools, North Hollywood, CA March 2010
- National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, Annual Meeting, Washington DC, April 2009
- California Association of Independent Schools, Oakland, CA, March 2009
- California Math Council, Northern Section, Asilomar, December 2007
- Panel: "How Schools Foster Innovative Teaching."
- Independent Curriculum Group conference, Philadelphia, January 2010
- Independent Curriculum Group conference, New York City, January 2010
- Panel: "Veteran Teachers Reflect"
Presentation: "Math: Visual and Interactive!" - Center for Innovative Teaching Tech Symposium, Urban School of San Francisco, August 2008, 2009
- Laptop Institute, Lausanne Collegiate School, Memphis TN, July 2007
- Teacher collaboration: a key to improving math instruction
- California Math Council, Northern Section, Asilomar, December 2008
- Geometric Transformations and Symmetry
- Bay Area Math Project, Albany CA, May 2008
- Serving Our Strongest Students
- Keynote address, California Association of Independent Schools Mathematics Day, Oakland CA, March 2008
- Nothing Works! The Art of Teaching Mathematics
- Mathematical Association of America, Intermountain Section, Provo UT, March 2008
- California Association of Independent Schools, Atherton, CA, March 2007
- California Association of Independent Schools, North Hollywood, CA, March 2006
- California Math Council, Northern Section, Asilomar, December 2005
- Infinity: an Alternate Elective after Algebra 2
- California Association of Independent Schools, Atherton, CA, March 2007
- California Math Council, Northern Section, Asilomar, December 2006
- Three Paths to the Quadratic Formula
- California Association of Independent Schools, North Hollywood, CA, March 2006
- National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, Annual Meeting, Anaheim, CA, April 2005
- California Association of Independent Schools, Northern Regional Meeting, March 2005
- California Math Council, Northern Section, Asilomar, December 2003 (major speaker)
- Small group problem-solving session for middle school teachers
- California Association of Independent Schools, Northern Region Math Day, Palo Alto CA, March 2004, as support for Prof. Andrew Bernoff
- "Go 3D with the Zome System!"
- Bay Area Math Project, Berkeley CA, April 2003
- Minicourse, National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, Annual Meeting, Las Vegas, April 2002
- National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, Annual Meeting, Orlando, April 2001
- Northwest Mathematics Conference, Victoria BC, October 2000
- California Math Council, Northern Section, Asilomar, December 1999
- "Teacher Collaboration", with Jonathan Howland
- California Association of Independent Schools, Northern Region, March 2003
- National Association of Independent Schools, San Francisco, February 2002
- "Algebra: What? When?", a roundtable discussion
- California Association of Independent Schools, Northern Region, March 2003
- "Lessons in Teachers' Mathematics"
- California Math Council, Northern Section, Asilomar, December 2002
- "Symbol Sense: Deep Algebra for All", with Scott Nelson
- California Math Council, Northern Section, Asilomar, December 2002
- "Building Visual Foundations for Calculus", with Richard Lautze
- California Math Council, Northern Section, Asilomar, December 2001
- "Le diagramme-fonction et la géomètrie dynamique" (Function Diagrams and Dynamic Geometry)
- Cabri World Conference, Montreal, June 2001
- "The Circle-Trig Geoboard", with Richard Lautze
- California Association of Independent Schools, Northern Region, March 2001
- California Math Council, Northern Section, Asilomar, December 2000
- "Teaching About Functions"
- Bay Area Math Project, Albany, CA, January 2001
- Middle Grades Symposium, California Math Project, San Diego, CA, April 1995
- Mini-Course, NCTM Annual Meeting, Boston, April 1995
- Middle Grades Symposium, Bay Area Math Project, San Francisco, CA, March 1995
- Mini-Course, Colorado Council of Teachers of Mathematics, Denver, October 1994
- California Math Council, Northern Section, Asilomar, December 1993
- California Math Council, Southern Section, Palm Springs, November 1993
- "Geometry Labs"
- Council of Math/Science Educators of San Mateo County, Redwood City, CA, March 2000
- National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, Annual Meeting, San Francisco, April 1999
- Mini-Course, National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, Western Region, San Jose, March 1997
- Middle Grades Symposium, Bay Area Math Project, San Mateo, CA, February 1997
- California Math Council, Northern Section, Asilomar, December 1995
- California Association of Independent Schools, Northern Region, March 1995
- "Depth Over Breadth in the Secondary Curriculum", with Jonathan Howland
- California Association of Independent Schools, Northern Region, March 1999
- National Association of Independent Schools, Dallas TX, February 1999
- "Strategy and Tactics of Reform"
- California Math Council, Northern Section, Asilomar, December 1998
- Closing address, Illinois Council of Teachers of Math, October 1997
- "How to design rich activities; how to make them pay off"
- California Math Council, Southern Section, Palm Springs, November 1997
- National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, Annual Meeting, Minneapolis, April 1997
- " The Turtle in the Age of the Mouse: Why I Still Teach Programming"
- St. Olaf/NSF Geometry Conference, June 1997
- "Lab Gear: Manipulatives for Algebra"
- Workshop, Conference for the Advancement of Mathematics Teaching, Houston, TX, July 1997
- Mini-Course, National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, Southern Region, Atlanta, February 1997
- Mini-course, Association of Teachers of Mathematics in New Jersey , October 1995
- Middle Grades Symposium, Bay Area Math Project, San Diego, CA, April 1995
- Middle Grades Symposium, Bay Area Math Project, San Francisco, CA, March 1995
- National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, Eastern Region, Pittsburgh, PA, October 1993
- California Math Council, Northern Section, Asilomar, December 1992
- North Carolina Council of Teachers of Mathematics, Raleigh, NC, October 1992
- National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, Annual Meeting, Nashville, April 1992
- National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, North East Region, New Hampshire, Nov 1991
- California Math Council, Southern Section, Palm Springs, November 1990, 1991
- National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, Southwestern Region, New Mexico, Nov 1991
- National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, Central Region, Kentucky, October 1991
- NCCTM, SCCTM, Carolinas Math Conference, Charlotte, North Carolina, October 1991
- Conference for the Advancement of Mathematics Teaching, Texas, August 1991
- California Association of Independent Schools, Northern Section, March 1991
- National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, Central Region, Indiana, March 1991
- National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, Western Region, California, Feb 1991
- Santa Clara Valley Mathematics Association, Santa Clara, January 1991
- California Math Council, Northern Section, Asilomar, December 1990
- California Math Council, Central Section, Fresno, October 1990
- Colorado Council of Teachers of Mathematics, Denver, October 1990
- National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, Western Region,
Hawaii, July 1990
- "Do manipulatives really help children learn mathematics?"
- Panel discussion, National Council of Teachers of Mathematics,
Annual Meeting, Minneapolis, April 1997
- "Graphing calculator activities for algebra"
- California Math Council, Northern Section, Asilomar, December 1996
- California Association of Independent Schools, Northern Region, March 1995
- "Operations"
- National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, Annual Meeting, San Diego, CA, April 1996
- California Math Council, Southern Section, Palm Springs, November 1995
- "Avoiding Backlash: Teaching to All Levels"
- Supervisors' Breakfast, Association of Teachers of Math of New Jersey, October 1995
- "A New Algebra"
- Keynote speech, Association of Teachers of Math of New Jersey, Trenton, May 1995
- Mini-Course, NCTM Annual Meeting, Indianapolis, April 1994
- California Association of Independent Schools, Northern Region, March 1993
- National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, Central Region, Minneapolis, November 1992
- National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, North East, Hartford, CT, October 1992
- California Math Council, Northern Section, Asilomar, December 1991, 1994
- California Math Council, Southern Section, Palm Springs, November 1991, 1994
- "Learning New Things in New Ways with a Computational Medium: Boxer", with Dr. Andrea diSessa
- National Educational Computing Conference, Baltimore, June 1995
- "Concrete and abstract algebra with children"
- Early Algebra Conference, Center for Research in Mathematical Sciences Education, Madison, WI, June 1994
- "Iterating Functions"
- National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, Western Region, San Francisco, February 1994
- California Math Council, Northern Section, Asilomar, December 1992
- "Square Roots: A Tool-Based Approach"
- National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, Annual Meeting, Seattle, WA, April 1993
- Council of Math/Science Educators of San Mateo County, Redwood City, CA, March 1993
- "Logo Tools and Games in Secondary Mathematics"
- National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, Annual Meeting, New Orleans, April 1991
- California Association of Independent Schools, Computer Day, San Francisco, March 1990
- Hands On Technology Conference, Los Angeles, February 1989
- "Mathematical Modeling and Probability/Statistics: a new course after Algebra 2"
- Santa Clara Valley Mathematics Association, Santa Clara, September 1990
- National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, Annual Meeting, Salt Lake City, April 1990
- California Math Council, Northern Section, Asilomar, December 1989
- California Association of Independent Schools, Northern California Conference, 1989
- "A Teacher's Perspective of Boxer"
- American Educational Research Association , Annual Meeting, San Francisco, 1989
- "Pentominoes"
- National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, Annual Meeting, Anaheim, CA, 1987
- California Math Council, Northern Section, Asilomar, December 1984, 1985
- "Cryptic Crosswords"
- California Association of Independent Schools, Northern California Conference, 1985
Boards
- Math Pickle
- Member of the Advisory Board
- Bay Area Math Project
- Lawrence Hall of Science, University of California, Berkeley
- Member of the Advisory Board
- Problems with a Point
- A project of the Educational Development Corporation, Boston
- Member of the Advisory Board
Professional Associations
- #MTBoS (Math Twitter Blogosphere)
- Online math teachers community
- Julia Robinson Math Festival
- Volunteered at festivals in the Bay Area, and helped plan the 2020 Math Buffet (online festival)
- San Francisco Math Teachers' Circle
- Member of the organizing team (2016-2017)
- Banff International Research Station for Mathematical Innovation and Discovery
-- mathematicians and educators invitational meetings - "K-12 Sequences", Banff AB, March 2015
- "K-12 Unsolved", Banff AB, November 2013
- Founder and coordinator: Escape from the Textbook!
- A sharing and collaboration network for math teachers who want to escape from the textbook for a day, a unit, or a whole course. (Online community with hundreds of members, quarterly gatherings in the Bay Area -- now dormant.)
- Organized a conference, (February 2011,) featuring Jo Boaler (Stanford) and Paul Zeitz (USF).
- California Association of Independent Schools (CAIS)
- Faculty member, Retreat for Experienced Teachers ("The Classroom and Beyond"), 2007-2013.
- Faculty member, Retreat for Beginning Teachers (Secondary), yearly, 1991-2005. (Chair of the RBT faculty, 1997-2005.) Master Teacher workshop on teaching math; sessions on the challenges of first year teaching, on the special challenges of working in independent schools, on general pedagogical techniques, and in general on the teaching profession.
- Organized a professional development conference for math teachers in grades 3-12: Escape from the Textbook! in March 1988, and the secondary mathematics component of an Association-wide conference in April 1989.
- Math representative, Academic Services Committee, 1987-1989
- Member of accreditation visiting team for WASC (Western Association of Schools and Colleges)
- Bentley School, Lafayette CA, February 2005
- Midland School, Los Olivos CA, March 2004
- National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM)
- Occasional reviewer for The Mathematics Teacher and Journal for Research in Mathematics Education
- Editor of the "Activities" column in The Mathematics Teacher (1995-97)
Council for Technology in Mathematics Education (CLIME)
California Math Council (CMC)
Education
Secondary: French Baccalaureate (Mathematics), 1966
- Undergraduate: Centre d'Etudes Mathématiques, Beirut, Lebanon
- American University of Beirut
- Princeton University
- University of California (Berkeley)
B.A. (Mathematics): U.C.B., 1970
M.A. (Mathematics): U.C.B., 1972
Math Specialist Training: Community Teaching Fellowship, U.C.B., 1971
California Teaching Credential: Standard Elementary, grades K-8 / St-Mary's College, Moraga, CA, 1975-6
Other Interests
Word Puzzles
Co-constructor of hundreds of Out of Left Field Cryptic Crosswords with Joshua Kosman. The puzzles appeared in The Nation, from June 2011 to March 2020, and are now available weekly by subscription. The first 100 puzzles are collected, 20 puzzles at a time, in e-books for iOS available from Puzzazz. All 334 Nation puzzles, in six hard-copy books, can be purchased from Cryptic All-Stars. All books are titled Out of Left Field.
Co-author, with Joshua Kosman, of the Word Salad e-book guide to cryptic crosswords, and the same-named blog on The Nation website (2012-2015.)
- Member, as Hot, of the National Puzzlers' League (NPL), since 1985.
- - Recipient of the 2022 Maso Memorial award "for demonstrating the true spirit of the NPL"
- - Recipient of the Golden Sphinx award for best cryptic crossword of 2018 in The Enigma
(the NPL's monthly newsletter)- - Cryptic crosswords co-editor for The Enigma, from 1995 to 2011
- - Co-editor, with Joshua Kosman, of National Puzzlers' League Cryptic Crosswords (Random House, November 2005), and co-constructor of four puzzles therein.
- - Picture puzzle editor for The Enigma, 1999-2002
- - Vice-President, 1989.
Co-authored "Thoughts on the Art and Technique of Crossing Words", by Georges Perec, an annotated translation by Henri Picciotto and Arthur Schulman, The Believer, September 2006
1987-2016: with Rebecca W. Kornbluh, co-constructor of a series of variety cryptic crosswords, published in Cryptic Crosswords Allstars vol. 2, The Enigma, Dell PuzzleSpectacular (New York, NY, Emily Cox and Henry Rathvon, editors), Tough Puzzles, and Tough Cryptics (Stan Newman, editor, Long Island, NY). Some of these have been reprinted in Random House Cryptic Crosswords, Volumes 1 and 2 (1994, 1995) and National Puzzlers' League Cryptic Crosswords. For twenty years (1988-2007), contributed a yearly puzzle to the NPL convention. Almost all of the puzzles created (as Harth) for the NPL can be found on Hot's Puzzle Page.
Collaborated with Scottish artist Alec Finlay on a book project: Home to a King. (The book never came out, but we created dozens of hidden word clues for trees.)
- Founder, Eskymo Jose
- Berkeley word puzzlers club: semi-annual Equinox Word Games parties since 1985; near-weekly team solving of cryptic crosswords since 1982.
Created many party games for word aficionados, some of which were published in Super Party Games (by John Chaneski, Sterling Publishing Co, 1999)
Made a presentation in English about Italian-language "classical puzzling" (enigmistica classica) to the 160th Convention of the National Puzzlers' League, in Big Sky, Montana in July 1999. It was published in The Enigma, August 1999.
Made a presentation in Italian about English-language cryptic crosswords to the joint meeting of the 58th National Congress of Classical Puzzling and the 20th Convention of the Italian Rebus Association, in Verona, Italy, in June 1999: I cruciverba enigmistici.
From October 1997 to March 1998, co-author with Joshua Kosman of "Word Salad", a monthly series of narrative word puzzles for San Francisco magazine.
Constructed "On the Table", a cryptic crossword, for Word Ways, the Journal of Recreational Linguistics, November 1986 (Morristown, NJ).
Theater
Co-authored Seeing Double, A Middle Eastern Comedy of Errors with Joan Holden and the San Francisco Mime Troupe (1989). (New York Times review.)
Co-authored the Factwino plays, with Joan Holden and the San Francisco Mime Troupe. Wrote "Comics on the Stage," an essay. (All published in West Coast Plays 15/16, California Theatre Council, Los Angeles, CA, 1983.)
Drama critic for Artbeat ("San Francisco's Independent Arts Newspaper"), 1980-1983.
Hundreds of political street theater performances (founder and leader of the SDS Radical Arts Troupe on several campuses, 1967-71, and Beast Street Theater in Berkeley, 1972-75.)
Miscellaneous
Native speaker of French.
Hobbies: astronomy, bicycling, birding, literature, painting, and especially puzzling.
Wrote "Princeton'll Straighten You Out", a chapter in You Say You Want a Revolution (1741 Press, 2019, edited by John F. Levin and Earl Silbar)
Wrote "Zionism vs. Anti-Zionism: Not My Main Concern", a chapter in Reclaiming Judaism from Zionism: Stories of Personal Transformation (Olive Branch Press, 2019, edited by Carolyn I. Karcher)
2001-2009: Member, then Chair of the Board of Jewish Voice for Peace, a national organization working for a just resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict based on human rights and international law.
Co-edited Reframing Anti-Semitism (Jewish Voice for Peace, 2003) with Mitchell Plitnick, and wrote one of the essays therein.