Hungarian-born Zoltan Dienes was an eager child with a passion for mathematics – a passion that would eventually extend to teaching and education.
From a young age, Dienes would secret himself behind a curtain in a bid to eavesdrop on his older brother’s mathematics lessons. These lessons, deemed too complex for the younger Dienes siblings, helped spark an enthusiasm for the field that would last a lifetime.
Dienes is best known for his invention of the multibase blocks used to teach place value to young students, and his practical and playful approach to learning. Such practices have since been adapted into the contemporary classroom, along with the use of his manipulative materials.
His theory was that by engaging students in a fun and applied manner, they would become capable of learning more advanced theories at a younger age. It is a theory that served him well during his career, and long after his retirement as he continued to visit schools – often crouching down on the carpet to play educational games with the children.
Dienes not only became an accomplished and respected mathematician, but also received acclaim for his approach to the psychology of learning mathematics.
Dr. Zoltan Dienes relaxes after a degree ceremony at the Irving Centre with young friend Silas Morse-Conlin
