Joel Schneider

Summary

Television production and mathematics are an unusual combination. While television is exceptionally popular, most of the public think of mathematics as something for only a few special people. Square One TV is a daily, half-hour series that is broadcast for children on more than 300 public stations. We use the attractiveness of television to help viewers realize that mathematics is interesting, accessible, and worthwhile. Producers, directors, script and song writers, animators, and many others work on the series. Their job is to make entertaining television pieces. Most have had typical experiences with mathematics. My job is to help them make pieces that are also effective for mathematics.

While I was in school, math came easily for me. I was much busier with music, sports, drama, and books. In junior high school, my favorite reading was science fiction. One novel featured a time machine in the shape of a “three-dimensional snowflake curve.” I wondered about that and asked my teacher what it would look like. She suggested that I try to figure it out for myself. That started me on my way to becoming a mathematician. In time, I did figure it out and even wrote about my solution in a paper that was published in a math journal.

In graduate school, I specialized in algebra and number theory. I later taught mathematics at the Pennsylvania State University, including the courses for future elementary school teachers.