Budapest Semesters in Mathematics Education

The BSME program was a fantastic program that’s unlike any other program I have come across. This program was geared towards my major (Secondary Education - Mathematics) more than even my classes in college were. I learned so much in these 6 weeks about mathematics education. I am now a teacher, and I have been using the skills that I learned abroad every day in my classroom. I also learned how to navigate the city, which is an empowering feeling by itself. The city is beautiful and you can easily get around by public transportation, which is extremely cheap. It is also easy to travel to surrounding areas such as Prague, Vienna, or even Italy. There are so many beautiful views and monuments to go see in Budapest. The food is amazing, I recommend a place called Al Dente close to Rákóczi tér. It is so cheap to live in Hungary. You can get a meal for a fraction of the cost it would be in the US. Most importantly, I made the most amazing friends over in Hungary. It is a unique experience to be surrounded by so many like-minded people, especially when mathematics education is such a small cohort of people. I still remain in contact with my friends from this trip nearly every day. I recommend this study abroad trip to every mathematics education major because it’s a once in a lifetime opportunity.

I participated in the first Summer 2018 BSME program, and I couldn't have asked for a better first experience abroad. I am a mathematics major with interest in attending graduate school for secondary math education. The BSME program helped me to develop skills and acquire new ones for my future in teaching. I came back to the states with an abundance of knowledge of not only the Hungarian system of teaching mathematics, but also how we can add to the American system for the better. I am also very grateful for all of the relationships I made abroad. Everyone in the program was so welcoming, kind, and some of the best people I have ever met. I have made friendships that I will cherish forever. I would highly recommend this program for anyone interested in mathematics and learning more about a culture in the beautiful city of Budapest, Hungary!

Choosing to come to Budapest for a semester through BSME is one of the best decisions I have made. As a rising junior, my studies had begun to stagnate. I was feeling the senior slump since freshman year. Classes weren't giving me a better sense of "what I wanted to do with my life;" I was monotonous, dispassionate, and simply going through the motions. But BSME flipped that around from Day 1. BSME provides a safe learning environment for me to start rethinking the way I process math. I am pushed out of my comfort zone into exploring concepts that are unfamiliar and a culture that is completely new. The BSME curriculum allows me to visit Hungarian math classes and experience alternative teaching methods that we are not exposed to in the US while helping me improve my critical thinking and reasoning skills.

One of the famous Hungarian mathematicians is Posá, who developed a method called "discovery learning" where the goal is to lead students to deriving generalizations on their own through iterated problem solving. Even though only one of the BSME classes focuses on discovery learning, it has been the theme of my semester. Whether I am discovering underground pubs, a new cafe, friendships, how to cook for myself, or new math tools, I am learning in an environment where mistakes are celebrated and thinking outside the box is encouraged.

This program could not have been better. The teachers were all incredible and obviously very talented at what they do, and presented problems that were both challenging and hard to stop thinking about. The visits to Hungarian math classrooms were fascinating and gave me tons of ideas for practices I would like to use in my own class. The administrators were all incredible supportive, and were always checking in to make sure we were adjusting well to living in a foreign country. I made friends I know I'll never lose, and who all shared a love for math or math education. The city is beautiful, safe, inexpensive, and full of festivals and delicious food, as well as a great starting point for travel anywhere in Europe, especially the Czech Republic and Austria. I really couldn't have asked for a better study abroad program or a better place to spend four months of my life.