Join Dan Finkel, founder of Math for Love and nationally recognized mathematics educator, for an inspiring keynote session titled "How Mathematicians Play." Play is one of the most effective ways to explore new ideas. But play without thoughtful structure won’t help us to achieve our teaching goals. We need boundaries and strategies to promote meaningful exploration and help students develop true mathematical understanding. By looking at how mathematicians play, we can offer students an invitation to genuine mathematical thinking and ownership. We’ll explore some specific routines and tools, particularly conjectures and counterexamples, that can transform classroom culture and make rigorous, joyful play a driving force in math class.

Nancy will give the audience an inside look into her career going from a public school art teacher for more than 20 years to her stepping into the boardroom of Archie Comics.  She will tell about how what she learned as an Art Educator helped her in business and how she has had to use those skills to adapt.   Nancy shows how teachers can use graphics to open the discussion for many important topics and give some examples of that.    She will instill the importance of being an art teacher and the value they carry in the school and in young students' lives.  Nancy will aim to inspire, educate and entertain during this lively talk and welcomes questions from the audience