Math Superstar Greg Tang will be in Vestal on December 2, 2015, to show elementary students how cool it is to rock ‘n roll with numbers! The author of “The Grapes of Math,” a “New York Times” bestseller, “Math-terpieces,” “Math Appeal” and five other books, Tang will make three presentations to Vestal elementary students in the African Road Auditorium, 600 South Benita Boulevard, Vestal.
As a parent volunteering in his child’s first-grade classroom, Tang began to teach her and her classmates to look for patterns when solving math problems. He developed a method of teaching math in a visual and spontaneous way. Tang’s mission is to make math a natural part of every child’s life. “I want to make math easier for kids,” he has answered when asked why he writes math books. “It’s not just about teaching math skills, it’s about inspiring kids to learn and to have confidence in their own thinking.”
A native of Ithaca, Tang’s parents were both professors teaching STEM skills; his father taught electrical engineering at Cornell University, and his mother taught math at Ithaca College. He has his B.A. and M.A. in economics from Harvard University, and also has an M.A. in Math Education from New York University.
During his presentations, Tang will challenge and encourage Vestal elementary students to use creativity and common sense to solve problems. We thank the Vestal School Foundation for sponsoring Mr. Tang’s visit to Vestal.