Long conversations: Budapest/Bristol mathematics student teacher links

In 1990, Janussy Zsolt came to the Bristol, UK from Budapest, Hungary to join the one-year post-graduate course at the University of Bristol that prepares people of a wide range of ages for mathematics teaching. John Hayter and Laurinda Brown were, at that time, tutors for the course. More particularly, Zsolt joined John Hayter’s study group and John became his personal tutor for the year. John and Laurinda taught in the university and visited the members of their study groups in schools when they were on school practice (2 different schools over the year). Ambrus András was the head of the Faculty at Eötvös Loránd University (ELTE) and, alongside Ödön Vancsó and other members of the Matematika Szakmodszertani Csoport (teacher education department), was part of the long conversations over two decades between staff and students at the two institutions. This chapter shares stories from this long conversation, of which this chapter, to celebrate András’s 75th birthday is the latest contribution.