Glaz, S. (2019). Artist interview: JoAnne Growney. Journal
of Mathematics and the Arts, 13(3), 243-260. DOI: 10.1080/17513472.2018.1532869
This reading is an interview conducted by Sarah Glaz with
JoAnne Growney at the 2017 Bridges conference and through follow-up conversations.
It is framed around 10 of Growney’s poems in 9 sections.
Growney talks about exercise and a good night sleep both
being ways she clears her mind when writing poetry. When I was part way through reading the
article, I needed to get out for a walk, despite the quite chilly evening; my
body was tired, my brain was tired, and I needed steps for our Meandering Math
Teachers Walk for Joy challenge team!
The walk worked. Maybe too well.
Not only did I finish the reading, I decided to do my summary. And not just a
quick summary, I had to follow a creative impulse to summarize each of the 9 sections in a found poem using text from the article (and now it is 12:45am and
I am just typing this up from my hand-writing). I tried to use Growney’s words
as much as possible but sometimes Glaz’s slipped in. The introduction is made from purely Glaz’s
words.
I consider the poems drafts. Some were re-worked but remain
drafts. Others are what developed on the first try. You’ll understand why I
point this out when you read my reflection.
Introduction
complimentary, supporting,
conflicting.
C. P. Snow described and lamented
the division.
Many of us seem to have crossed
the great divide -
the creation of a community
of both poets and mathematicians.
On the farm
a white frame house,
a good woman worth three good women.
There isn’t really any history
of advanced math in my family
or of poetry.
A career to fall back on –
I had gotten too much education.
Four teachers
The geometer had three daughters – kind hearted man.
The one who loves Old English and late-night TV – each thing is our teacher.
A stressful teacher made errors, demanded we write perfect mathematics in perfect English sentences.
Everything connects is the way my mind works
The history of the vacuum cleaner, Roe v. Wade, and Billie Jean King
I put them all together.
Nervous energy, I need to clear my head
Exercise, a good night sleep
The clutter gets cleared.
Poems are made by erasing
I feel how many words
need to be eliminated.
Romania
A tiny organization
'Teachers for Tomorrow’
for teachers to help students
learn English
in Indian and Romania.
I mostly presented poetry.
We read,
Puzzled over,
Discussed
English translations
Of Romanian poetry.
Found a poem
Related to mathematics
By Nichita Stanescu, a particular favourite.
Delighted!
Math and poetry – the perfect
blend
Play with both meanings,
mathematical and non-mathematical.
Six is a perfect number –
the sum of all its proper divisors.
Six is a perfect number
of husbands.
Counting the women
Mathematics -
a man’s world.
Learn how to live in it
in terms acceptable to men.
Look around the room.
If you can’t count how many women
in one glance,
smile.
Intersections – poetry with mathematics
Collecting math-related poems
Tried the blog
It just kept on going
Makes mathematical poetry
More welcome
Visible
Threads of a mathematical idea
Pattern
Structure
Counting
Recursion
Permutations
Sometimes silly
Sometimes evocative
A back-and-forth
Between my poems
And the poems
Of others
A meeting place
Wow! Amazing and a whole bunch of other positive and in awe type of words!
ReplyDeleteSandra, this is next level!!!
I totally got a feel for the article from reading your poems. My favourites are Four Teachers and Counting the Women but honestly... I could say they are all my favourites. I like to write more and make some connections, but for now... I am speechless!
Thank you, Joy. I am glad this way of summarizing the article gave you a sense of it. I was really quite stuck on how to summarize this one as it is an interview and each segment seems important. At first I thought I would give just a brief overview and some quotes. The last poem included in the article is a type called a cento (made of quotations from other works) that Growney created from snippets of the 2017 Bridges poetry readings. This was partly the inspiration for creating poems as summary - I should have mentioned that above. I called mine found poems...but it seems like a found poem is a cento (cento can be other literary forms, if I understand correctly).
DeleteI truly consider these drafts, some worked more than others, so I am flattered that you have them all as your favourites! If I were to work them more, I would probably try to put some structure to them that is mathematical (tried and failed, so far, with Romania as a 9x9square).
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ReplyDeleteImpressive work Sandra,
DeleteTaking the time to analyze and extrapolate the key information of the article's interview, and to be able to summarize it in a form of poetry is brilliant.
Thank you, April!
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ReplyDeleteSandra, you are bringing an important point. Are we allowing students to process and reflect on what they are learning? This topic reminds me of the banking concept that was introduced by Paulo Freire (https://www.beds.ac.uk/jpd/journal-of-pedagogic-development-volume-2-issue-3/key-pedagogic-thinkers-paulo-friere/). In banking education, students are considered empty vessels and teachers help to “fill out the vessels” and memorizing is a useful tool to acquire knowledge. Memorization may be done by practicing and repeating.
ReplyDeleteOn the other hand, math drafts will help to have a different way of education most related to problem-posing education. The activities you mentioned in the draft problem activities allow students to reflect and work with other classmates to exchange ideas. I believe with this option, students will learn math and other skills such as communication, and problem-solving.
Great poems Sandra!
ReplyDeleteVery inspiring!