Guttenberg’s Anna L. Klein School took part in World Maths Day last week, an international competition among more than two million students from hundreds of countries.
Eighth grade math teacher Nancy Duclos was contacted by World Maths Day officials a few months ago and decided give around 1,000 Anna L. Klein Students the opportunity to join in.
students from more than 204 countries signed in online at their schools and homes. For Guttenberg students, World Maths Day began at 6 a.m. Eastern Standard Time on March 2. The competition was extended to March 4 at 4 p.m. after the website crashed form so many of the students logging on.
After being given a practice period last month, they played 60-second games with international students within their same level, with the goal of scoring the most correct. Questions were based on basic math facts like multiplying, subtracting and adding.
Last year 452,681,681 basic math facts questions were answered in 48 hours. The goal this year was to shatter that record.
“I thought [this competition] was really cool…that we got to join in on one of these events to make a world record,” said eighth grader Richard Chichas.
Chichas had answered 4,100 questions correctly on Wednesday afternoon, earning himself a gold award certificate. He said that while practicing, he thought it would be impossible to answer so many correctly.
On the map
Julio Constanzo, an eighth grade student, said that World Maths Day had been “pretty cool,” but that the competition in other countries was tough. So far he had earned 4,536 correct answers.
Constanzo’s competitive streak had him playing until midnight last Wednesday.
Guyana, China, Hong Kong, Singapore, Africa, Saudi Arabia, India, Canada and the United Kingdom were just some of the countries the students answered math questions with.
Computer teacher Cheryl Spirig said that after the competition the students would do a geography-based activity as well.
“I think it is amazing, the connection the kids have made,” said Spirig. “Competing against students from all around the world has been amazing, so has the awareness of geography that they have created.”
She also said that while the students have been very competitive, they have been cooperating with kids throughout the world to collectively surpass a world goal.
Students were well on their way when World Maths Day’s website crashed, perhaps because so many students were logged on throughout the world.
“It’s bigger than just themselves,” Spirig said.
Math facts
Duclos said that this year students taking the New Jersey Assessment of Skills and Knowledge (NJ ASK) will only be able to use a calculator for 60 percent of the exam. She believes that activities like this will help bolster their math skills.
“Students in general, not just in this school, are lacking in basic math facts and that’s what this focuses on,” said Duclos. “It levels them with their level and their ability and they are loving it. They never want to do their math work, but they are sitting here doing these mental math programs and I think as a nation we really need to be focusing on it.”
Kindergarten students through eighth grade were logging on throughout the day and playing.
She said it was helpful for students struggling in math, giving them a different way to learn skills.
Next year the competition will include spelling and science.
Tricia Tirella may be reached at TriciaT@hudsonreporter.com.