Finding Ikigai in Mathematics
By Greta C Gomes HoD Mathematics
I am grateful to have had the privilege of presenting at the Texas Instruments Australia - EdTech LEC Day and the The Mathematical Association of Victoria (MAV)Conference in Dec 2024. I took this up as part of professional development and a personal learning goal.
I wholeheartedly Thank Joe and Manpreet for encouraging me to take up such opportunities that enable our voice to be heard on an international platform.
What a "complex" yet truly rewarding journey it was!
Collaborating with James Mott, over the last six months for MAV 2024 was an exhilarating journey. Through Kaizen, Wabi-Sabi, and Ichigo Ichie—refining every detail, embracing imperfections, and treasuring every unique moment. Fueled by Ganbaru and Shoshin, it was a celebration of connection, purpose, and the 'complex beauty' of mathematics. James was a fantastic co-pilot in navigating the real and imaginary axes of our session,"Pedagogy in Action: Complex Numbers with TI-Nspire and Visible Learning". Whether it was plotting ideas across AEST and IST time zones or amplifying concepts for visible learning, we certainly turned every challenge into a well-posed problem!
The MAV Conference and EdTech LEC Day were whirlwinds of inspiration – from unraveling trigonometry in multiple dimensions to designing investigations that encourage deep generalisation. It was a privilege to share the stage with him and explore pedagogies that help students transcend the bounds of surface learning (while keeping us firmly grounded on the Re(z) axis). Sessions included transformative discussions, intriguing investigations, and teaching adventures that push the boundaries of mathematics. After all, when real collaboration meets imaginative thinking, the results are always beautiful – just like e^(iπ) + 1 = 0.