b"R yan Wahle, a sophomore at St. John Vianney With 360 Math, you dont feel isolated, and weHigh School in St. Louisone of 18 Marianist- tackle the hardest problems together.sponsored high schoolssays hes never seen Bob starts most classes by having students worka teacher more happy going into class than geometry on a problem at the glass boards, then gives them ateacher Bob Prost. mini-lesson and asks students to return to the boardsHes always cracking jokes, Ryan says of Bob, who to reinforce what theyve learned. Sam Kramer, anotheris the center of attention in his classroomliterally sophomore in Bobs class, says doing 360 Math every as all his students stand and work on math problems day helps because you get to work through the prob-that are projected onto the surrounding classroom lems that you didnt understand. When I get a questionwalls where quarter-inch-thick glass writing boards wrong, I can just look to another persons board tohave been installed.see how he did it, he says.This is the 360 Math program, an initiative Vianney What makes 360 Mathlaunched in 2016. Since implementation, all five math function psychologically,classrooms in this all-boys school have been retrofitted Bob says, is the notion ofwith glass panels, and students math grades have group struggle. Miseryimproved by about 10 percent, Bob says. loves company, he saysThe administration bought into it immediately, jokingly. But my studentshe says. Before the panels were installed, Id buy know Im always nearby,huge Post-it sheets from an office supply store to try always checking them. to simulate the 360 process. Because its now projected I never call out anyone.onto the glass writing boards, all my students work Thats not my style.on the same problem at once. They struggle together, In addition to his maththey see and learn from one another, and this decreases wizardry, Bob, 54, also isthe natural anxiety that math brings. a talented musician, per-forming in multiple gigsBrain-based learning through movement each year with his band,and coaching Ian says. He is leadFrom the centerpoint of his class, like a captain in his singer of a rock bandcommand hub, Bob can peer around easily to spot and called Nitrus. identify errors with his laser pointer. We call this brain- Weve played classic 70s and 80s music for 10 Geometry teacher, Bob Prost,based learning, he says. Its built on the idea that boys years, Bob says. Its therapeutic, keeps me young, who launched 360 Math at learn better while on their feet, moving their bodies though my wife would disagree, he says with a laugh. St. John Vianney High Schooland staying awake. And they can coach each other, Having raised three sons, and having worked inwhich helps them engage more deeply with a new sales and as a professional engineer before becomingmath language thats initially challenging.a teacher, Bob says teaching, for him, is a callingIan Mulligan, in his third year as principal at from God.Vianney, has witnessed the 360 Math program inI didnt know anything about the Marianists whenaction, where the intention is to get the students up and I joined Vianney, but ever since, Ive seen how the boysmoving while practicing math, he says. The launch here receive a meaningful, purposeful education,of this program mirrors our philosophy that boys he says.learn better when movement is involved, Ian says.As for the students, they appreciate the energy andBob, in his 10th year at Vianney, recalls his time fun Bob brings to the classroom. One time, when weteaching at a co-ed charter school in inner-city St. Louis. finished our lesson early, he showed us some coolI noticed that the girls were able to sit longer than magic and math tricks, says Sam. boys and take notes, he says. I dont like making For Ryan, 360 Math isnt just about cooperativegeneralizations, but since 360 Math has come to learning or better math grades, hes also revitalizedVianney, Ive given a lot more As and Bs. by Bobs seemingly infinite joy. Just being in hisTraditionally, teaching math resulted in boredclass brightens my day, he says.\x00students after 20 or 30 minutes, says Bob. Ryanagrees. In eighth grade, we followed the standard Alex Salinas is associate director of communications at education model, doing math in isolation, he says. St. Mary's University.marianist.com/donate 17"