Beauty and Truth

This chapter introduces the virtuous pursuits of beauty and truth and how they may connect to mathematics teaching in the elementary classroom. The chapter begins with a recounting of recent travel abroad and the presence of mathematical ideas in beautiful spaces. Then underlying philosophies and research regarding how beauty and truth have propelled human flourishing are presented. The chapter then describes how teachers may build a classroom culture around these virtues including practical examples involving song and poetry as well as how to develop the core practice of intentionally managing instructional pacing to promote these virtues. The chapter concludes with an examination of responsive teaching practice, referred to as professional noticing, organized around an example task and interactions and reflective questions to guide teachers’ thinking in these areas.