New Book by Drexel’s Max Ray of The Math Forum Helps Students Become Powerful Problem Solvers

An event celebrating a new book by Max Ray of Drexel University's Math Forum will take place Oct. 30

The Math Forum’s Max Ray will celebrate the release of his new book, Powerful Problem-Solving: Activities for Making Sense with the Mathematical Practices, with a national release event on Wednesday, Oct. 30, in Washington, D.C. The Math Forum @ Drexel is the leading online math education community, and is housed in Drexel University’s School of Education.

Ray will discuss the book, answer questions and sign copies for attendees. The event will take place from 5:30 – 8 p.m. at the Lafayette Tower (801 17th Street NW, Suite 420, Washington, D.C.). Complimentary hors d’oeuvres and beverages will be served.

Powerful Problem Solving combines the Math Forum’s 20 years of experience and history into a practical guide packed with approachable information. In the book, Ray and his colleagues offer their collective wisdom about how students become proficient problem-solvers, through the lens of the Common Core State Standards for Mathematical Practices. They examine the problem-solving process in new ways and turn the practices into activities that teachers can use to foster habits of mind required by the Common Core, including communicating ideas, estimating and reasoning, and organizing info to promote problem-solving.

The book shows what is possible when students become active participants in math. Ray believes that the process of sense-making begins when students’ curiosity and inquisitive nature is fostered in creative classrooms that explore their thoughts and ideas. Students must have the opportunity to see problems in a larger sense and discover multiple strategies for tackling them. It is important for students discover that the goal is not to simply work through the problem, but to discover different ways to approach it. 

Powerful Problem-Solving was released in September 2013, and is now available from Amazon and the publisher, Heinemann, a division of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. A companion website offers additional activities, resources, classroom videos and more at http://mathforum.org/pps/.

The Math Forum’s award-winning educational site, a research and educational enterprise of the Drexel University’s School of Education, has become a comprehensive, online source of math learning, teaching and communication for mathematicians, educators, parents, students and researchers worldwide. From professional development issues to parental homework crises, the Math Forum is renowned for mentoring, problem solving, collaborating, sharing and advancing every aspect of math education.

About the Math Forum @ Drexel
For more than 20 years, the Math Forum @ Drexel has been combining expertise in mathematics, education and technology to tackle the challenge of improving math education. It is the world’s leading online mathematics education community. With more than a million pages of content and as many as three million visits each month, the Math Forum’s depth of experience and scope of support is unmatched. Hosted by Drexel University and its School of Education, the Math Forum is changing the equation for effective teaching and learning. Through the Math Forum, more than 100,000 students have been mentored, teachers have energized their classrooms with technology and school districts have enhanced their curriculum. For more information, visit http://mathforum.org.