As teachers, we often notice that students who participate in other subjects shut down when it comes time for math. What is it about their experiences that leads them to believe that math class is not a place for them? Adult education students receive many messages, from both external and internal sources, about their ability to do and learn math. Some students have “learned” that they are not good at math and feel as though their ideas and questions do not belong in math. In this workshop, we will examine how systemic racism has damaged many students' sense of themselves as math students. We will also share instructional practices to engage students and help them develop positive math identities.
- HSE/ABE generalists who teach math
This professional development activity/course is designed for:
We will engage in a rich math task and dig into the impact of that experience on ourselves as learners in order to explore how the expectations we hold and communicate to our students affect their ideas about themselves as mathematical learners and thinkers. We will reflect on how the cultural lenses we have as teachers can affect our students.
Please note: About a week before the event, you will receive a separate email from the SABES Math team at TERC (sherry_soares@terc.edu) with instructions on how to access the Zoom session.
- Facilitate an open question routine
- Identify practices that create a safe and equitable classroom
- Understand how racial inequity shows up in students’ lives
- Understand how math teachers can disrupt racial inequity
Upon completion of this professional development activity/course, you will be able to:
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