A Magical Day of Mathematics at EB with Monica Neagoy

2/4/2025

Elodie Resurreccion, French Program Coordinator | Coordinatrice des Programmes Français

École Bilingue de Berkeley had the privilege of hosting Monica Neagoy, an internationally renowned mathematician, educator, and speaker, for an unforgettable day of learning, collaboration, and mathematical magic.

Shaping the Future of Math at EB

Monica began her January visit by meeting with our Math Task Force, a dedicated group of teachers from different grade levels, to reflect on and refine our math curriculum. As a bilingual school, EB faces a unique challenge: we cannot simply adopt a single program. Instead, we must carefully select a curriculum that meets both California state standards and French national standards, ensuring that our students, whether they continue their education in the U.S. or France, are equally well-prepared.

During the meeting, teachers had the opportunity to ask Monica thought-provoking questions about mathematical progression, curriculum balance, and best practices. With her extensive expertise, Monica provided invaluable insights—she even played a role in introducing fractions into the French curriculum earlier than before! She successfully convinced the French Ministry of Education that fractions should be introduced as early as first grade, rather than waiting until fourth grade, as they are essential to everyday life and a fundamental building block for mathematical understanding.

Mathematical Magic in the Classroom

Monica’s enthusiasm for mathematics isn’t limited to teachers—she also captivated our G2 to G5 students with an interactive math and magic show! Students watched in awe as she performed tricks, such as making a chosen playing card mysteriously appear at the back of the classroom—while she was outside the room! But the true magic was in the math itself. Rather than keeping her secrets, Monica taught students the logic behind her tricks, showing them that mathematics can be both fun and astonishing.

An Evening of Inspiration for Teachers and Parents

Monica’s impact continued into the evening when she met with teachers from preschool to middle school. She demonstrated, with nothing but a string and scissors, the visual and intuitive nature of π (3.14), simply as the ratio of a circle’s circumference to its diameter. This simple yet powerful demonstration left educators inspired and eager to bring new approaches to their classrooms. (Below is a video that went viral on social media.)

@quotidienofficiel « C’est ça, la beauté des mathématiques ! ». Pour Monica Neagoy, professeure et chercheuse en didactique des mathématiques, il est nécessaire de lier le concret à l’abstrait pour que les mathématiques n’apparaissent pas aux yeux des enfants comme des symboles qui n’ont pas de sens. Elle nous le démontre avec l’exemple de Pi ! #quotidien #tiktokfrance #mathématiques #maths #pi ♬ son original - Quotidien

At Ecole Bilingue, we already integrate movement and hands-on experiences into our math instruction, but Monica’s visit pushed us to rethink and refine these strategies. For example, we have used number lines in our classrooms, but she encouraged us to bring them to life on a larger scale—taking them outside to the playground to create an even more immersive learning experience. By physically moving along a number line, younger students can build number sense, while older students can explore fractions and decimals in an interactive way. Her suggestions, such as having students place whole numbers on the line, jump between values, or gradually introduce fractions and decimals, helped us see how to make math even more dynamic, engaging, and accessible for all learners.

A Community Effort

Monica’s visit was made possible thanks to a partnership with other French schools in the Bay Area, including Le Lycée Français de San Francisco and Silicon Valley International School. This collaboration enables us to bring internationally recognized educational leaders to EB, enriching our students’ and teachers’ experiences. We are proud of this strong network that helps us continually innovate and improve our curriculum.

From students to teachers, Monica Neagoy left a lasting impression on our community. Her passion for mathematics is contagious, and we hope to continue bringing such inspiring figures to EB!

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