"I want to say a massive thank you as it was brilliant this morning, the students (and staff) really enjoyed it and it was really good to raise the profile of maths!"
Cath Jespers, Boston Spa School
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300 year 5's from feeder schools arriving and warming up with some
puzzles on the screen at Fullbrook College, February 2010. |
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"Thanks for this morning Kjartan. 50 people of all ages went home feeling good
and well entertained even though they'd been engaging with 2 hours of mathematics."
Mike Cooper, Humberside Maths Association
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BOOKING ENQUIRIES: Special Maths Groups
This page follows on from my author appearances page.
Thank you for showing an interest in what I do!
GIFTED AND TALENTED MATHS GROUPS If you have a group of keen maths kids, I can do a special session as long as 100 minutes (with or without an interval). As most of my material is not curriculum based, it will be novel to a wide range of ages. Therefore audiences can be a more varied age e.g yrs 5-6-7, or yrs 7-8-9, or yrs 8-9-10-11. I deal with odd card tricks, strange things about the Pascal Triangle, Fibonacci Series and Pythagoras and my "Ten Most Pathetic facts in Maths" which involve chessboards, ridiculous numbers, cutting shapes and so on.
G.C.S.E. GROUPS In the past I've been invited to provide the "light relief" at major GCSE conferences. Usually I do one 60 minute or 2 x 30 minute sessions to fit in with the programme of the day. This always works better with the top-grade groups because they are usually better behaved!
Please do NOT put me in front of disinterested and non-motivated teenagers in the hope that I will make them start smiling in maths lessons.
PLANNING A DAY
Before I agree to an engagement, I need a rough idea of how you hope to timetable the day, in particular what time you need me to arrive. Please bear in mind three things:
- Unless I'm doing a multi-day trip and staying overnight, I will be travelling from York on the day, probably by rail which means allowing for delays. It helps me if you have looked at National Rail Times to see what's practical and the different fares in the day.
- If you're a long way from York and only want a single session or show, afternoon or early evening is the best time to avoid overnight costs.
- If I'm doing more than one session I do not need overlong breaks between sessions.
- I'm always delighted to sign books if you are organising sales. Books on sale/return can be ordered at a discount directly from Scholastic along with a range of publicity materials. Please ask me for their current contact details.
FEES... depend on where you
are and what you want. Please use the link in the next paragraph to contact me, telling me where you are and giving me an idea of what you'd like me to do.
CONTACTING ME
Thank you for taking the trouble to read all this. Please also be aware of the problems regarding CRB forms and visiting authors , and my policies regarding Noise and Disruptive Behaviour which are listed below, but now if you'd like to make an enquiry please use this address:
Here's my favourite bit of jaw-droppingly unexpected maths!
It explains how Pythagorean triples are linked to the Fibonacci Series.
(This is suitable for older G&T groups.)
The image is taken from my new book The Murderous Maths of Everything
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Boring but necessary...
REQUIREMENTS These are all detailed on my author appearances page but generally I need:
- Flip chart with paper (audiences up to 300, or more if in a theatre)
- Visualiser to write with (if venue is too big for flip chart)
- Projector and screen for powerpoint
- A working p.a. system (for audiences over 150)
- A bottle of still water.
- STAFF: an adequate number of responsible staff MUST be present at all times.
This is for insurance purposes and if necessary, to deal with any excessive disruption. (see next section)
DISRUPTIVE BEHAVIOUR This is very rarely an issue with top maths groups... but please be aware of my policy towards it!
I enjoy and encourage a lively atmosphere in my sessions but sometimes a kid crosses the line between high spirits and disruption, and when this happens I will move them to a seat away from their mates. No problem.
However if I'm faced with individuals or groups who are repeatedly disruptive, it makes it impossible for anyone else to pay attention to what I'm doing. This is particularily unfair on keen maths students who have come for a unique opportunity to enjoy themselves.
If you know that you have people who are likely to be repeatedly disruptive, either they must be monitored very closely, or better still, excluded from the start.
CRB and enhanced disclosure forms... are all useless. Please read this!
CRB and visiting authors
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CONTACTING ME
Thank you for taking the trouble to read all this. If you'd like to make an enquiry please use this address:
Full details of my sessions and everything else are at my author appearances page