Big news! The Philadelphia Area Joyful Math Collaborative has evolved. We are officially the Philadelphia Area Joyful Math Alliance, or PAJMA (pronounced like “pajama”)!

Our new look – cartoon pajama pants (or is it π?) with the flower-of-life geometric pattern – reflects our belief that the best mathematical thinking happens when we are comfortable enough to take risks, play freely, and embrace our curiosity. This quarter has been a whirlwind of advocacy, leadership, and “swimming against the current” to create spaces where math feels human.

Taking Joy to the National (and Local) Stage
January – February: Advocacy from D.C. to Philly to San Francisco

January 4–8: JMM & #MathSciOnTheHill We kicked off the year in Washington, D.C., at the Joint Mathematics Meetings (JMM). We found our people within the recreational math and Math Circle communities – groups dedicated to humanizing mathematics and increasing access to deep, joyful inquiry.

Following the conference, Anne and Rodi joined #MathSciOnTheHill. As part of a 285-person advocacy team, Anne and the NJ team met with the offices of Senators Cory Booker and Andy Kim, and Representatives Norcross, Conaway, and Van Drew. Rodi and the PA team met with the offices of Senators John Fetterman and David McCormick and offices of Representatives Evans, Mueser, and Boyle.

• The PAJMA Connection: We didn’t just deliver data, we shared stories. We advocated for high-quality K-12 education as the foundation of a healthy society. A mathematically literate society is a happier, healthier one!

February 9: Embracing Community Wisdom: Anne attended Need in Deed’s Educational Equity Forum in Philadelphia. This year’s theme, Embracing Community Wisdom, resonated deeply with our transition to an Alliance.

• The PAJMA Connection: We believe that joyful math cannot exist in a vacuum. By listening to the collective wisdom of Philly educators, students, and community members, we ensure that PAJMA isn’t just bringing math to people, but also is co-creating spaces that respect and reflect the lived experiences of our neighbors. It’s about building an alliance that is as equitable as it is playful.

February 20: Introducing Rodeo the Magnifico: Rodi introduced her magician alter ego to a national audience at Gathering4Gardner16 in San Francisco. Talk title: “My Evolutionary Stages toward Becoming a Magician.” Rodeo is now bringing joyful math exploration through magic to students, and is looking for more opportunities. Rodeo’s alter ego Rodi gave informal advice on joyful Math Circle topics to other attendees.  AND (drumroll) Rodi met Donald Knuth. She told him about how she appreciates so much the way his work reveals beauty. He replied, “As a lot of the world is collapsing, beauty is still staying” (sigh). 

January 7: JMM: In her talk “Reimagined Use of Space in a Math Circle: from Serendipity to Intentionality,” Rodi shared many pro tips on how to turn limitations of physical space into opportunities to learn math joyfully.

February: Defining joyful math: At our monthly meeting, we spent time brainstorming what the word “joy” means as we continue to work to clarify our goals and scope.

Feb 26: Anne attended Rodi’s presentation at the SIGMAA on Circles/Math Circle Network Math Circle Workshop Series “Thinking, Playing, Discovering.” Rodi’s topic was the joy (and challenges) of facilitating the famous “handshake problem” via an inquiry-based approach.

Supporting Educators & Shaping Policy

January – March: Professional Development & Leadership Anne has been active on the front lines of teacher support, ensuring that NJ and PA educators have the tools to foster curiosity:

• NJ Teacher Outreach: Anne serves on the AMTNJ Teacher Outreach Committee, designing workshops that move away from compliance and toward inquiry.
• January 14 @ Rowan University: Anne facilitated “Cultivating Mathematical Leaders,” a full-day immersion teaching educators how to use AI as a “thought partner” while prioritizing human “superpowers” like creative problem-posing.
• March 10 @ Rutgers: A return of the successful “Fractions to Functions” workshop, bridging foundational gaps through deep conceptual discourse.
• March 12: Honored Educators’ Forum: As a 2021 PAEMST awardee, Anne joined fellow leaders at NJPSA to problem-solve some of the current challenges facing society and education.

The “Messy” Middle: Innovation & Research

February – March: Pushing the Boundaries of “Real” Math Innovation is rarely a straight line. It often feels directionless at first, and we are embracing that!

• The Global Math Circle Leadership Crash Course (Feb 19): This course allowed Anne to experience discussion-based collaborative learning firsthand. By stepping into the role of the student in a demonstration circle, we deepened our understanding of how to lead spaces where questions drive discovery.
  
• Math Research Team for Teens (Started March 18): Anne launched a new in-person research program at the South Jersey Innovation Center. We are starting small but thinking big. Our first cohort of researchers is currently exploring a fascinating range of scenarios:
  • One student is considering the intersection of discrete mathematics and computational logic, looking at everything from the mathematical structures of Tic-Tac-Toe to the mechanics of cryptography and the topological properties of knot theory.
  • Another is leaning toward computational mathematics, blending algorithmic problem-solving with a passion for computer science.
  • Our third researcher is exploring statistical modeling and behavioral patterns, looking for ways to apply math to social impact or financial systems.
  • “It feels directionless right now, and that’s exactly how it’s supposed to feel.” Anne tells the students and parents. We are creating the conditions for original thinking. Whether the research is new to the world or just new to the student, the goal is to create a space where students can play in the forest of mathematics without a map until they find their own path.

Strengthening the Alliance: Community & Future Dreams

• March 17: “Counted Out” Screening: PAJMA was a proud co-sponsor and co-organizer of a screening of Counted Out and panel discussion with Executive Producer Nancy Blachman. We are committed to challenging who is “allowed” to do math.

• The Julia Robinson Math Festival Grant: Anne co-sponsored a grant with RCBC to bring a Julia Robinson Math Festival (JRMF) to Burlington County in Fall 2026.
  

What We’re Reading & Where We’re Going

• We have been consulting for families, programs, and educators individually for years, and now offer it as a service through PAJMA. Some topics that keep coming up include anxiety, inclusion, and math identity.
• We are currently reading For White Folks Who Teach in the Hood… and the Rest of Y’all Too by Christopher Emdin (thank you to DW for the recommendation). It is challenging us to think more deeply about how “joyful math” must also be culturally responsive and equitable.
• Networking: Anything we do that that spreads our name PAJMA only helps our vision and mission.  Building awareness leads to action. Things will happen just from us existing. If we do what we do and make sure people know what we are doing, we will attract people and opportunities. So if you’re interested enough that you’ve read this far, please join us and/or help us to spread the word.

What’s Next? Look for us at MoMath, NJ STEM Month events, and our ongoing collaborative meetings (often at the Whole Foods in center city Philadelphia!). We’re starting to discuss our Annual math party. And we’re gearing up to volunteer at the International Congress of Mathematicians – look for us in our PAJMA shirts.