Kelly Darke

Math educator and author Kelly Darke shares her passion for mathematics through teaching and writing. Her debut book, “The Geometree” is a math picture book for children in kindergarten through second grade which launched in August.

“I hope my book inspires children, parents and teachers of the wonders and joy of math and the infinite variety of geometric shapes,” she explained. “I also hope they are inspired to notice and marvel at the wonderful leaf shapes they see when they pass under a tree.”

Her book tells the story of a curious young girl who discovers the Geometree, a magical tree that can produce leaves of any shape. The whimsical story follows her and the tree through each season and her geometric learning journey.

The book features striking illustrations from Mireille Belajonas, who Darke connected with via the book’s Michigan-based publisher Mission Point Press: “She really captured more than I could have hoped or imagined.”

The author dedicated her first book to her maternal grandmother who “never lost her childlike enthusiasm.” Sadly, she died before the book was published but was able to read the manuscript.

Darke grew up in upstate New York and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in mathematics and secondary education from State University of New York at Potsdam where she met her husband, Sean, a fellow student from Grosse Pointe who played on the school’s hockey team. Both attended Michigan State University for advanced degrees with Darke earning a mathematics master’s degree. Later, they moved to Chicago where she earned a Doctorate of Arts in mathematics from University of Illinois Chicago.

“I’ve always loved learning about math. It’s black and white in a lot of ways. It’s set knowledge that you build from and keep learning more and more,” she explained.

For 17 years, she has taught mathematics to students from middle school to college including “teaching the teachers.”

While living in Chicago, Darke, a self-described lifelong learner, took a course on writing picture books and the instructor encouraged her to focus on her love and knowledge of mathematics. She said “The Geometree” took “eight years of stops and starts” to conceptualize, evolve and write before reaching publication.

In 2021, the family moved to Michigan. “We love Michigan and the schools in Michigan.”

During this time while taking a break from teaching, she started a website and blog called Fairy Math Mother where she shared picture books, games, and activities for exploring math with children in playful ways. As part of the blog, her then younger children helped rate “magical math books” which inspire mathematical wonder and joy.

Darke and her husband share three children ages 10, 14 and 16 years old who have all followed in their father’s footsteps and play hockey. She began teaching at her kids’ school, St. Hugo of the Hills School in Bloomfield Hills, when there was an opening for a math teacher: “I’ve often adjusted my teaching career for my kids and their schedules.”

She currently teaches 7th and 8th grade math and has taught her two oldest children in her classroom.

To help cultivate joy for math in children, Darke said she is inspired by her friend and fellow math educator and writer Christopher Danielson when she advised: “When they’re young, kids’ minds are magical. They are curious and natural pattern seekers so any creative ways parents or teachers encourage kids to play, enjoy and wonder about counting, numbers, shapes and patterns will help…Inviting kids to notice things by asking ‘What do you notice? What do you wonder?’ will support them in developing a love for math. Always keep the door open to finding wonder and joy.”

Story: Tracy Donohue

Photo: Laurie Tennent