Les mathématiques, c'est la vie

Through the implementation of this project, we aimed to achieve several complementary objectives. First, to improve the practice of mathematics in our schools by providing teachers with tools and ...

Through the implementation of this project, we aimed to achieve several complementary objectives. First, to improve the practice of mathematics in our schools by providing teachers with tools and innovative approaches. Our intention was to motivate them to teach differently in order to reduce as much as possible the blockages that appear too early and discourage students. We sought to present mathematics as a true language, engaging the body, experimentation, and creativity, in order to make the subject more concrete and alive. We also wanted to provide teachers with diverse and enriching resources to broaden their practice and foster their creativity. One of the key goals was to restore children’s enjoyment of doing mathematics, to transform their relationship with the subject, and to counter the widespread phenomenon of “I’m bad at math.” Finally, our ambition was to foster confidence, curiosity, and the desire to learn among students, while supporting teachers in a process of sustainable and motivating pedagogical renewal.

As part of the project, we implemented a variety of activities that promoted creative and concrete learning of mathematics. In Crete, we developed the “Arts Touch” program, which involved playing with mathematics in the classroom, in nature, and through art. Students discovered math through artistic and physical approaches, using two innovative educational methods: Dramatic Playing in Education, which fosters expression and role-playing, and Stop-Motion Animation, which allows the creation and manipulation of animated mathematical objects. In Guadeloupe, we experimented with “Je math mon sport”, combining physical activities with mathematical learning: orienteering, beach games, geometry activities, and calculations integrated into movement. This approach helped to make mathematics more playful and dynamic. Finally, in Paris, at the Zola school, we practiced institutional pedagogy and organized workshops with students in the form of a mathematical walk through the city. At the same time, each partner school carried out, over two years, local activities around mathematics, encouraging creativity and curiosity.

The concrete results of our project can be seen in the implementation and experimentation of innovative teaching activities that integrated mathematics with art, the body, and sport. We produced educational sequences based on Dramatic Playing and stop-motion animation, used in classrooms and shared among teachers. Original formats such as “Je math mon sport” made it possible to combine physical activities with mathematical reasoning, paving the way for easily reproducible cross-disciplinary practices. We also developed local educational resources within each partner school, encouraging students’ creativity and engagement. The performance by the company Terraquée/Mathéâtre, hosted in Paris, represented a tangible result of cultural mediation around mathematics. On a human and educational level, the project helped change students’ perspectives: more enjoyment, fewer blockages, and greater confidence in their abilities. It also strengthened teachers’ motivation, enriched their practice, and encouraged collaboration between schools. Finally, it contributed to spreading a more inclusive, dynamic, and concrete vision of mathematics.