Welcome to the AMS Column on Teaching and Learning!

Teaching and mathematics are intricately connected. When we prove something, make a conjecture, or refute an argument, we are helping others see what we now understand. When doing mathematics, there’s nothing like those “Aha!” moments. They give a sense of accomplishment and empowerment, and often a better understanding of our world that we must share.

Educators of the mathematical sciences—at every level—ensure that students have the skills that they need. Educators also have opportunities to share their passion and enthusiasm for problem solving, pattern recognition, abstraction and application. The essence of teaching is communicating mathematical concepts and skills. But it is also conveying the joy and the power of mathematical thinking.

This column will be an open forum for teaching and learning of mathematical sciences, understood in this broadest sense. Writers are passionate about what they do and are eager to communicate that passion to colleagues. Education, like mathematical sciences, is constantly developing and changing—we want to highlight the excitement that these changes can bring. Readers of this column will come away with a broader understanding of teaching and learning, a renewed vigor for serving students, and a sense of their importance as educators to the future of our community.