What is the MathBating Initiative and why was it created?

Mathbating Team Competition Program is designed to help promote the skills of its members in the areas of math, speaking, debating and interviewing. This competitions help members become more confident in presenting themselves both technically and verbally; skills that can be transferred to a member's personal and professional life.

Which groups of students does the program serve?

Contestants must be fully registered to attend the school or group area for which they are competing and each Team must complete a Mathbating Team form prior to competition. The participants must be from the same grade and the grades range from first to eighth.

 How does the program work?

When competitors come into the work area to begin answering Mathbating questions, the work area is called the Deck.  Each Deck must have tables and chairs for each team that is participating.  The supervisor of the Deck is the Headmaster.  The Headmaster is the person who supervises the students who are working and preparing for the Brief-Up.  Once students enter the deck, they are assigned to a Drafting Area which is a table area with seating for 5 students who compose a team.  Once all students arrive at their Drafting Area, the Deck Headmaster will announce that the Deck is now open.  This means that each group may send a member of their team to the Head Table to get a math problem for the group to begin to solve.  The Head Table will have multiple problem scenarios and a group may select any problem that is available.  The group may change scenarios for any reason, but they can select

only one scenario at a time and cannot select an additional scenario until the Brief-Up is completed.  Each scenario describes a situation with multiply answer choices.  The group must complete the math calculation for each answer choice, then determine which selection they believe is the best.  There is no right or wrong selection; however, the group must be prepared to justify their selection. Once the group is ready to brief their answer to the judges, a team member must place the group’s name on the Schedule Board.  When the Deck Headmaster announces that the judges are read, the team must be ready to immediately proceed into the briefing area.  If the group is not ready, their name will be erased from the Schedule Board and the next team will be announced.

Once students have completed their work for a particular, they may sign up on the Schedule Board to brief their response to the judges.  Once the students enter the Brief Area, they must be ready to begin once the judge directs them to “Brief-Up”.  This command is the direction for the students to begin their presentation.  Once the group has completed their presentation, a member of the group must state that the briefing is complete.  

When has/will the program be conducted and where?

The MathBating Program was conducted for the first time this year in Atlanta and South Carolina.   Our program has served hundreds of students. 

What is the future outlook?

To acquire the funding to expand this program to all 50 states for school year 2010-2011 and conduct the first National MathBating Championship by summer 2013.