In late September, upper school statistics students attended the San Francisco Giants’ final regular-season game to gather information that they will be using for statistics projects throughout the year. “The statistics curriculum is designed to teach students how to address a question of interest through data,” said Troy Thiele, upper school statistics teacher, who accompanied the students along with colleague Mary Mortlock. “They need to formulate a method to obtain useful data, then analyze it and use probability to make conclusions about their question of interest.”

For the rest of the school year, statistics teachers will have students return to the data they’ve collected as they learn the various principles of statistical problem-solving. “In this way, the concepts we teach in class will hopefully have greater relevance to students as they apply them to data that they have collected to answer questions they have formulated themselves,” Thiele said.

Thiele also hopes that the trip will help students enjoy the study of statistics. “The hope is that through a positive and fun learning experience, students will think fondly of statistics, rather than as just another class,” he said. “This positive experience will hopefully motivate students to recognize how statistics can be applied in all facets of their lives.”