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A hundred incoming high school freshmen are learning math in a culturally relevant way.

By Rebecca Ruiz-McGill,
June 23, 2008

A hundred high school freshmen-to-be will spend three weeks on the campus of The University of Arizona learning math by way of mariachi music.

The students – who come from Desert View, Sunnyside, Cholla Magnet, Pueblo Magnet and Tucson Magnet High Schools – are participating in the UA's GEAR UP Project, which aims to have 65 percent of these same students enter and succeed in post secondary education after they graduate from high school.

GEAR UP offers several summer programs, from Algebra Academy to Earth Camp, but only the Math Through Mariachi Camp ends with a concert that draws an audience in the hundreds.

Being held this year from June 16 to July 3, the camp is the brainchild of Elizabeth Arnot-Hopffer, associate director of GEAR UP, which stands for Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs. The program is funded through the 1998 Higher Education Act, which is aimed at making college accessible for first-generation college students from low-income families and is part of the UA Office of Early Academic Outreach.

Arnot-Hopffer got the idea to use mariachi music to teach math skills as she contemplated how to combine culture, community and family into the over all goal of graduation.

To reach the 65 percent goal, Arnot-Hopffer knew that mathematics would be key.

“This summer is very important because the 2012 students are in the ninth grade and entering their freshmen year – if they can’t do algebra, they won’t be able to go forward and take the four years of high school math needed for college,” she said.

The Math through Mariachi program is built on the connections between musical study and mathematics achievement. Professional mariachis, who also are UA and Pima Community College students, serve as instructors and relate math to playing and reading mariachi music as well as help the students become comfortable with the notion of attending college.

The high schoolers attending the program participate in algebra lessons, music workshops, study skills and personal development activities to better prepare them for high school and college.

The program has an original curriculum created by a team of UA and community partners, and has drawn interest nationwide. Now in its third year, the program is "rigorous and follows the state standards for mathematics,” Arnot-Hopffer said.

Algebra basics, such as functions, slopes and fractions, are taught by using half notes and beats as the basis to work from.

Along the way the students, some of whom already play instruments, hone their musical skills, which are showcased at a concert at the end of the camp.

No algebra skills are needed to figure out that the show is a hit: The first year's performance drew about 200 people. This year, twice as many are expected.