Critical Co-Investigators of Math Trails: Reflections from a Student and Teacher

Abstract

In this article, a K-12 mathematics educator and a recent (2020) high school graduate discuss curricular work related to math trails, which are based around the idea of mathematizing potential discoveries along a physical walk. The intersection of math trails with the realities of schooling amid the COVID pandemic is described, along with ways in which math trail learning has ramified beyond classroom walls. This collaboration serves not only to draw attention to the under-researched topic of math trails, but also to exhibit how students and teachers can, in the language of Freire, work together as critical co-investigators.