Math is ‘demystified’ at Kingswood Oxford’s Middle School in West Hartford.

Submitted by Michelle M. Murphy, Director of Communications and Marketing, Kingswood Oxford School 

KO Middle School teacher Stacey Tomkiel helps 7th-grade students understand the edge and angle relationships in polygons. Submitted photo

For many students (and adults), the word “math” can induce fear, dread, and a feeling of “I can’t do it.”

But at Kingswood Oxford’s Middle School, it’s a whole different story.

“We view math as a way of thinking critically to make sense of the real world,” said Ann Sciglimpaglia, Chair of the Middle School Math Department and KO’s Academic Dean of Science, Math and Technology. “Our students explore, speculate, question, analyze, and construct viable arguments about math.

“They come to realize that computation and a collection of facts and procedures are a small part of truly understanding the beauty and strength of the discipline,” she continued. “We help our students see that math is ‘alive,’ that it has purpose, and that it’s applicable to real-life situations.”

On Monday, Jan. 26, during a presentation for prospective parents, Sciglimpaglia and other Middle School administrators will discuss KO’s approach to teaching math, as well as an overview of all curricular and co-curricular offerings.

The event will begin at 8:15am in Estes Middle School, and will conclude by 10am with a Middle School student-run assembly in Roberts Theater. To register, contact the Admissions Office at 860-727-5000 or [email protected].

Kingswood Oxford has long been known for a rigorous academic program that produces resourceful problem solvers; clear, confident communicators; and innovative and ethical leaders, here and across the globe. Applications received by Feb. 2, 2015, will be eligible for merit scholarships, for which financial need is not a prerequisite.