About Me
I was born in Toronto, ON and grew up in the Muskoka region. The landscape of quiet lakes and falling leaves stays with me wherever I am. In 2008, my family took a vacation to Salt Spring Island, BC and loved it so much that we never left. I'm currently living in Vancouver, BC, which has meant a quick adjustment to living in the city instead of the small communities I grew up in!
Mathematics
I've been in love with mathematics since I watched my dad teach my older brother division with popsicle sticks at the kitchen table. There was (and is) a sense of certainty that holds great appeal for me. The more I learn, though, the more I see the spaces between our understanding and the wonder that can be found in that uncertainty. In my teaching practice, I hold forth that usefulness is second to beauty and endeavor to inspire that sense of wonder in all of my students.
Poetry
My journey in poetry has actually paralleled my mathematical odyssey in interesting ways. In writing also, I began with form and certainty. Sonnets in particular held a fascination for me, their song-like nature and fixed rules. Writing a good sonnet is like figuring out a riddle. Increasingly, though, I am drawn to poetry with less strict form. I often turn to poetry when simple prose doesn't feel adequate to convey the emotionality of my thoughts, so the subject of my work varies wildly with my current interests. Some are mathematical, some are romantic, and some are the product of images that just wouldn't leave my head.
Contact Me
Phone: (250) 221-0994
Email (Personal): jacob.richardson250@gmail.com
Email (Work): jrichardson@vsb.bc.ca