2008 Excellence in Education
Award
given
by SUNY at
to Donald
Cohen- B.A.'51, M.A.'52
M.S.'61 R.P.I.
,
- from the Award program May 3, 2008-
Somewhere
between kindergarten and high-school graduation, doing math
goes from fun to frustrating for many of us. But not if you've been learning math from Don Cohen-The Mathman.
Cohen
established a distinguished career in mathematics education, teaching at the
secondary and college levels, serving as a math consultant and developing
curriculum. He subsequently developed a methodology that led to a unique,
powerful program for teaching mathematics to young people. "The essence of his method is to teach mathematics
to students starting with their intuitions and lead them into knowledge of
formal structures," said M.I. Berger, University at
Cohen
co-founded The Math Program in 1976
with his partner, Jerry Glynn in Champaign-Urbana. His private after-school
program, still going, uses computers, pineapples, and
many other manipulatives to help students of all abilities, ages 3-73, learn and enjoy mathematics. "Over the years, Don has used
his ideas and methods to teach and enlighten thousands of pupils and teachers of
mathematics," Berger
said. "Through his numerous books, CD's, articles, videos, website, radio
program, and Math by Email, his innovations are nationally and internationally
recognized."
Cohen's
books and CD's (Calculus By and
For Young People (ages 7, yes 7 and up) are sold internationally,
and three books were published in Japanese. "Mr. Cohen's scholarship in
mathematical pedagogy demonstrates his leadership and ability to take steps
beyond just interacting with students," said Janet Dubinsky, professor of
neuroscience at the
Dubinsky notes
that Cohen was ahead of his time in teaching methods, incorporating hands-on
activities and active learning strategies at a time when that wasn't typically
done. "Our class was a constant buzz of activity as students in one comer
explored probability with
dice, while another group solved matrices aloud on the board, and others read
math puzzle books or played and analyzed chess moves. We were totally engaged.
Engaged in the natural beauty and power of math." Dubinsky notes that many
of the educational programs she sees and reviews now try to incorporate methods
Cohen pioneered years ago. "All the programs I see strive to utilize
the same techniques that Don Cohen has pioneered: using structured
problem solving and engaged learning to develop higher order thinking skills. In
this realm, Don sets a very high standard that few teachers can reach."
Dr.
Ezra Black (NYC), whose daughter has studied with Cohen, said: "He has
succeeded in teaching Emily many mathematical skills which she has tried unsuccessfully to learn in other ways and with other instructors.
Perhaps most importantly, Emily's work with Don has reinforced her fascination
with mathematics and her ability to perceive the elegance (or, as she would put it, the "coolness")
of mathematical
argumentation. It is no exaggeration to say that Don Cohen has come to
constitute a force unto himself, a powerful force helping
to cultivate and nurture one of the things which our country stands most in need
of: a generation of pupils with a passion for mathematics
and science."
Don's family: Don
and his wife Marilyn, of 57 years,
have 3 children, 6 grandchildren and 3 greatgrandchildren.
They have lived in
Contact
Don
Address:
Tel: 217-356-4555
Fax: 217-356-4593
Email:
doncohenmathman@gmail.com
Website
URL: http://www.mathman.biz
References:
Roslyn
and Jay P. Kesan, parents of a 15-year old UNI sophomore Jay, who Don has
had as a student for about 9 years, and twin 8-year old daughters who Don has
had for 3+ years-all still coming to Don;
Brian and Ann Osterling Dampier,
parents of Paul, now at Grinnell College IA, who came to Don from 3rd
-12th grade (UNI HS Grad); Champaign; 217-359-2355
John Melby (UI Prof. Emeritus
in Music) and Jane Thompson (former
teacher at Parkland College), parents of two of Don's students, both UNI HS
Grads- Kirsten, who worked with Don from age 4-14, received an MA in German from
the U of Munich, Germany (2007 in German) and Charles who worked with Don for
about 3 years, has a MS in Physics, Summa Cum Laude, from Princeton (2006), an
MA in Mathematics from Oxford (2007), and is in a Ph.D. program in Physics at UC
Berkeley. Don has known the family for about 20 years.
John & Bernadette Easley,
parents of 3 of Don's students;