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Published on 10/26/1998 All articles from this issue

Former resident's math-art program allows kids to do geometry and 'not know it'

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By Linda Taaffe / Town Crier Staff Writer

In a culture where mathematics and art are typically considered to be on opposite ends of the spectrum, Christopher Hardaker shows students how the two are intertwined. The former Los Altos resident says math is all around in art forms such as clothing and beverage logos.

Hardaker recently launched a Web site sponsored by the Navajo Nation's Dine College in Arizona that uses the traditional designs found in Native American artwork to teach geometry to students in grades 4-8.

The "Native American Geometry" site provides hands-on math exercises using designs from prehistoric art to today's modern logos.

Hardaker described the exercises as "fancy connect-the-dots" activities.

"In almost every culture worldwide, there's a basic core of geometric tradition that is manifested in art forms," Hardaker said. He said only in our culture do people separate math and art concepts.

"If you tried to tell someone that there is a seamless integration between art and math, they would want to send you to the rubber room."

Using art to introduce math is revolutionary in the United States, Hardaker said. He said the teaching methods on the site were originally developed as an archaeological tool. The Foothill graduate said he didn't know if elementary-aged children would be able to understand this type of geometry, which is not usually introduced to students until college. He said the results have been amazing.

"Most kids can grab hold of this within days. They're drawing lines, circles, doing geometry and they don't know it," he said. "(Geometry) can be confusing, but using this method, children can get a physical picture. They can look at lines that are diagonal, parallel."

Hardaker said he has seen improvement particularly among children with learning disorders. Hardaker said this method seems to boost their self esteem.

Hardaker said he hopes that introducing complex math concepts in this way will help students from losing interest in math.

An archeologist by trade, Hardaker first began studying how art and math relate while a student at Foothill College in Los Altos Hills from 1971-'73.

Hardaker decided to teach workshops incorporating what he had learned as an archeologist after noticing that one of his professors at the University of Arizona was dyslexic, but could easily understand geometric principals by studying art designs, he said.

In the two and a half months since Hardaker has set up the site, the Canadian Mathematical Society has selected it as "Cool Math Site of the Week" and the San Francisco Exploratorium has chosen it as a "Top 10" educational site.

The Native American Geometry Web site can be accessed at http://crystal.ncc.cc.nm.us/~hardaker.