A retired Oakland school teacher created a new way to teach math, by showing students the "living geometry" of math through quilting.The sound of sewing machines isn't just about stitching at the Rock, Paper, Scissors Collective studio space in downtownIt's also about mathematics in the making for Oakland MetWest High School students who signed up for a unique internship.
Quilting might not be on most teenager's to-do list, but twice a week, they come to meet their mentor Wendy Lichtman, a retired MetWest High School math teacher who years ago started the classes after facing a problem she wanted to solve. "Not very many 15-year-olds care that two parallel lines are crossed by a transversal. They don't really care very much about that. But right here are two parallel lines and these are transversals and they are at a 90-degree angle, and you really got to get it to look right," said Lichtman.
Lichtman says putting the pieces together helps students discover their own creativity. She says quilting can also be a very personal journey.