Organize mathematics’ workshops in an amusing way: the method MATh.en.JEANS

Use this material to engage girls in hands-on research activities in maths in a funny way, giving them the chance to meet scientists. Help them in developing problem-solving approaches and getting confident with their own capabilities.

MATh.en.JEANS « Méthode d**‘A**pprentissage des Théories mathématiques en Jumelant des Établissements pour une Approche Nouvelle du Savoir » is a French association created in 1989. It consists in a method gathering young people and researchers, which gives the opportunity to pupils to develop an authentic scientific approach. This website describes how to implement and manage a research workshop in mathematics. The objective is to raise awareness of pupils on mathematics in an amusing way. Concretely, researchers from universities suggest topics in the form of riddle, which pupils have to solve. At the end of the scholar year pupils present the results of their collective works in a congress like researchers and have the opportunity to publish an article on the topic. These workshops concern two schools, voluntary teachers, some pupils and a researcher. This website is addressing teachers and contains very detailed and practical description of how to design and animate such a workshop, from the necessary information to education authorities, pupils and parents, to the launching and management of the workshops, and their budget. It also gives the contact details of MATh.en.JEANS, the NGO, which developed this kit.

Use this material to prepare your scholar program in mathematics. Organizing this workshops you will raise awareness of girls on mathematics in an amusing way, engage them in hands-on research activities in maths and enable them to meet with scientists. This will help them develop collective problem-solving approaches, place in the role of a scientist and get confident about their capacities.