#TMC17 Wrap-Up

I was lucky enough to attend Twitter Math Camp this year. I should have been working on a daily summary post but there were so many people to meet in person that I pretty much passed out once I got back to the hotel room.

To help me remember all the things I have learned at this conference I’m gonna list my big takeaways here and then I’ll go back and write separate blog posts on each topic.

• #clotheslinemath
• Talking Points and Readers Theatre
• Exeter Math
• Organizing People and Organizing Problems
• Playing with math
• Debate in math class and Which One Doesn’t Belong

This week there was some controversy about what #MTBoS means and who belongs and how welcoming the community is. While some debate raged and continues to rage on Twitter, I want to talk about all of the awesome and friendly math educators I met while at this conference. While I learned some great things that I am excited to implement in my room and share with my colleagues, the people at the conference were the best part.

I found Glenn Waddell. (This was literally the first thing I did, as I saw him walking to Waffle House when I pulled in to the parking lot of the hotel.)

I roomed with John Golden, who was absolutely great. We talked at the end of each day and also enjoyed some meals at some great restaurants his wife scouted out ahead of time.

I finally got to meet Justin Aion, my Twitter twin, and Megan Schmidt, my twitter nemesis (JK Megan), in person. (Along with many, many others who I have been talking to since 2011.)

I played with math and all kinds of games invented by David Butler, who I goofed off with the whole conference.

I attended great sessions with Ali Grace, Jessica Beck, and Lisa Melendy.

I ate spicy food with Nicky Allen.

I got my butt kicked in euchre along with Bob Batty by Nicole Paris and Anna Scholl.

I had great math and math education conversations with Kent Haines.

I learned so much over a 3-day session run by Elizabeth Stanton.

I solved puzzles with Maureen Ferger and then we destroyed a table of math teachers at a trivia game with Meg Craig.

I disappointed Sheri Walker when we barely lost another round of trivia.

I ate humble pie after Nik destroyed me with my own Magic The Gathering Deck.

I got punched by Hedge. Twice. (I deserved it both times.)

I debated the merits of dishwashers with Anna Vance and Dylan Kane.

I got great coffee with Benjamin Walker.

I made math art with Malke Rosenfeld and Annie Perkins.

I swapped interesting facts with Sean Sweeney. He’s internet famous twice over.

I sat through 3 keynotes with Melissa Allman.

I messed up sequences with Bryan Johnson that we learned from Doug McKenzie. And then the three of us worked on another puzzle together.

I talked for a long time over beers with Jim Doherty about public versus private school.

I received a free TI Inspire and a hug from the Calculator Fairy/#MTBoS High Priestess/#MTBoS Figurehead Kate Nowak.

I was nerd sniped by James Cleveland. (Cut a 1×3 rectangle into 3 equal pieces that can be reassembled into a square.)

I tried vegan food with Jasmine Walker and Ethan Weker. (I know, I know. I atoned for my sins by eating biscuits and sausage gravy the next morning with Jasmine, James, and John.)

And many other excellent interactions. This conference was a huge encouragement to me was timed perfectly as I start to gear back up for my second year of teaching high school.

Thank you, everyone!