PRIMES STEP Experience
Slava Gerovitch, Tanya Khovanova
TL;DR
PRIMES STEP is an MIT-based outreach program that engages middle-school students in authentic mathematical research, combining problem solving, hands-on activities, and research discussions to foster mathematical thinking and collaboration. The paper traces the program's history from PRIMES expansion to STEP's current two-hour sessions and project-based outputs, including arXiv submissions and journal publications. It details admissions, topic selection, and teaching practices, emphasizing an interactive, non-competitive environment and the balance between toy/recreational problems and real research. The authors argue that STEP yields real contributions to mathematics, evidenced by student papers, awards, and alumni pursuing further research, and highlight practical implications for educators running after-school math programs.
Abstract
PRIMES STEP is a mathematical outreach program established at MIT in 2015. STEP students study advanced topics beyond the school curriculum and conduct group research projects, often leading to publication. This article discusses the program's history, admissions process, lesson organization, interactive teaching style, and teamwork, and provides advice on how to choose research projects, encourage students, and keep them engaged. This paper would be useful for math teachers and instructors in after-school math programs.