Thinking Outside the Circle: Alternate Outreach

Originating in Eastern Europe, Math Circles spread to the United States in the 1990s. They emerged approximately at the same time on both the east and west coast, and have spread to almost every state, numbering around 200 today. While the first wave of Math Circles in the United States started with a focus on preparing mathematically talented high school age youth for advanced mathematical competitions, their focus has now broadened. Math Circles now serve a range of ages (preschool through high school) as well as teachers. Some still focus on preparing students for local or national competitions; others provide non-competitive, mathematical enrichment experiences for all interested students. In this presentation, I will share my work with the San Francisco and Kittitas Valley Math Circles, both of which take a unique approach to outreach. I'll also share resources of the National Association of Math Circles (mathcircles.org) to help you start your own Math Circle.