May 29, 2008 issue
Math Camp at ASU Targets Students at All Levels of Understanding
Story by Kathleen McFadden
When an event stands the test of time for a decade, you’ve got to figure that something cool is going on. And that’s the case with ASU’s Math Camp, celebrating its 11th year in 2008.
The prospect of attending Math Camp may not send kids into paroxysms of excitement, but once they arrive, their attitudes change, said Math Camp Director Dr. Anita Kitchens. The fast pace, the no-pressure atmosphere, and the support and encouragement from coaches and teammates make the four evenings of intensive workshops an all-out fun fest with a very real payoff—a new understanding of how to think about and approach math.
Math Camp is for students who hate math, for students who love math and for students who don’t have particularly strong feelings one way or another about math.
“Although the initial thrust was for students who were struggling with math,” Kitchens said, “it’s growing more and more into being for everybody.”
Kitchens has designed the camp to function much like a basketball camp, with stations, teams, coaches, trophies and lots of hands-on activities.
“A lot of very bright students will tell you that math is their worst subject,” Kitchens said, “and they translate that into lack of ability. Gosh, can we fix that! In Math Camp, we have the relaxed luxury of no pressure. We can observe and they can see what others are doing. We can help kids understand that they can do anything in life, and that includes math.”
“We hit things that people have the tendency to memorize and not think about,” Kitchens explained. “We emphasize that math isn’t just a memorizing process; it’s a thinking process. A little bit of technique goes a long way.
“We try to get out of memorization mode and into thinking mode,” she added. “Technique and attention to detail could be the problems, not a question of ability.”
Kitchens also focuses on students’ learning styles, understanding that left-brain and right-brain thinkers don’t process the same way.
Math Camp is a social event too. Every evening features free food provided by Subway, CiCi’s Pizza, KFC and Harris Teeter and the opportunity to meet other students and socialize. Kitchens encourages parents of home schoolers to consider sending their children for a little “social math.”
Math Camp is for rising 6th through 12th graders and will be held Monday through Thursday, July 7 to 10, from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m. The fee is $120. For out-of-town students, Super 8 (828-264-4133) is offering a special lodging rate of $49.99 per night for Math Camp attendees and their families. “They can vacation during the day and go to Math Camp at night,” Kitchens said.
For additional info about the camp, call Kitchens at 828-264-0181. To register, pick up a brochure at any Watauga County school and mail it in or fax it. Alternatively, click to www.camps.appstate.edu or call 828-262-4992.
New This Year: Extended Math Camp
Although Math Camp is for everybody, Director Dr. Anita Kitchens is launching a new program this year in conjunction with the camp that is targeted to students who excel in math and are thinking about becoming math teachers.
Ten students will be invited to participate in Extended Math Camp and will meet from 1:00 to 5:00 p.m. during the week of Math Camp. Working with teachers in a different way than they do in school, they will delve into mathematical topics in more depth. “Once you see more depth in a problem, it becomes more interesting and intriguing,” Kitchens said.
The participants in Extended Math Camp will also participate in a variety of linked activities in the coming year, so their four days at Math Camp aren’t the extent of their involvement. Any students considering a career in math will definitely want to check into this opportunity.
For more info about Extended Math Camp, contact Dr. Doug Jones at jonesd@appstate.edu or 828-262-2862.
Want To Go?
Dates: Monday to Thursday, July 7 to 10
Time: 6:00 to 9:00 p.m.
Location: ASU
Cost: $120
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