Lisa Ashe, NCDPI Denise Schulz, NCDPI Mathematics for All: Moving Towards Cultural Proficiency NCCTM Conference 2017 Lisa Ashe, NCDPI Denise Schulz, NCDPI

Previous Learning Student and Teacher Identity Mathematical Identity Principles for Equitable Mathematics Teaching Learning is not the same as achievement. Achievement gaps often reflect gaps in opportunities to learn. All students can be pushed to learn mathematics more deeply. Students need to see themselves in mathematics.

What is Identity? The ways that people come to conceptualize themselves and others and how they act as a result of those understandings. Cornell and Hartmann (1998)

Mathematics Identity The dispositions and deeply held beliefs that students develop about their ability to participate and perform effectively in mathematical contexts and to use mathematics in powerful ways across the contexts of their lives Aguirre, Mayfield-Ingram &Martin (2013)

Mathematics Identity beliefs about one’s self as a mathematics learner, one’s perceptions of how others perceive them as a mathematics learner, beliefs about the nature of mathematics, engagement in mathematics, and perception of self as a potential participant in mathematics. Solomon, 2009

Session Objectives Why? Who am I? What now?

Why is mathematics important for ALL students to learn? Stop & Think Why is mathematics important for ALL students to learn? Numeracy skills are used daily in many jobs and are important for a wide range of outcomes in adult life, from successful employment to good health and civic participation. All students need mathematics for their adult life. Reducing socio-economic inequalities in access to mathematics content is thus an important policy lever for increasing social mobility. OECD (2016)

Why Do I Need This? Mathematics education enhances higher-order thinking skills Those who are good at math tend to be good thinkers. Those who are trained in math learn to be good thinkers. Math studied at school is the main entry point to quantitative literacy, and without solid quantitative skills a person cannot do many jobs. OECD (2016)

how to teach it, and, in many cases, who should receive the content. What teachers believe is important influences the decisions that they make about what content to teach, how to teach it, and, in many cases, who should receive the content. Aguirre, Mayfield-Ingram & Martin (2013)

Culture Defined Culture is: everything you believe and everything you do that enables you to identify with people who are like you and that distinguishes you from people who differ from you. about “groupness.” a group of people identified by their shared history, values, and patterns of behavior

Culture Defined Culture is: everything you believe and everything you do that enables you to identify with people who are like you and that distinguishes you from people who differ from you. about “groupness.” a group of people identified by their shared history, values, and patterns of behavior

Stop & Think How does this definition of culture affect the lens through which you observe and understand mathematics classrooms within your school or district?

Culture shapes our beliefs and forms our biases about people based on their age, gender, race, language, (dis)ability, class or income level, often without our realization. NAPE

Accumulation of (Dis)Advantage NAPE Culture Wheel Cultural Stereotypes Bias Micromessages Accumulation of (Dis)Advantage Self-Efficacy Behavior National Alliance for Partnerships in Equity

Accumulation of (Dis)Advantage NAPE Culture Wheel Cultural Stereotypes Bias Micromessages Accumulation of (Dis)Advantage Self-Efficacy Behavior National Alliance for Partnerships in Equity

What are micromessages? We communicate our biases through small, subtle, unconscious, but often powerful messages. Facial expressions, gestures, words, or tone of voice can convey perceived differences related to characteristics like gender, race, ethnicity, and economic status. Accumulation of micromessages affects a person’s self-concept and self-efficacy. Identity-affirming behaviors influence the ways in which students participate in mathematics and how they see themselves as doers of mathematics. We see identity-affirming criteria emerging as learners are labeled as “smart,” “gifted,” “proficient,” “at-risk,” or “on grade-level”.

What Messages Do You Send? Micro-affirmations Valued Included Encouraged Intentional Positive Micro-Inequities Devalued Excluded Discouraged Unintentional Negative

Stop & Think Why is it important to think about mathematics in the context of culture?

Our Story… Denise Lisa Elementary Secondary Grew up in a Two parent home Band Raised in a Single parent home Math consultant International Traveler Family in military Loves DOGS Teacher Parent First generation college student Introvert Family attended college Has CATS Family support Biracial September Birthday African-American Coaches weightlifting Loves Sports

What’s your story?

Who Am I? Bead Activity

Bead Color Key Blue: European American/Caucasian Green: African/Black American Purple: Asian/Pacific Islander Pink: Latino/Hispanic Orange: Biracial Silver: Native American/American Indian I am… My teachers are mostly… My chiildren’s teachers are mostly… My closest friend is… My dentist is…. My spouse/partner is… My colleagues at work are mostly… My doctor is… My neighbors are mostly… People who visit my home are mostly… My favorite actor is… My favorite musicians are… Artwork represented in my home is… I see on TV mostly… Authors that I read are mostly… People whom I see or read about in my newspaper are mostly… My students are…

Barriers vs. Guiding Principles What do you notice? What do you wonder? How does the interaction of each cause ethical tension?

Cultural Proficiency Continuum

Conceptual Framework for Culturally Proficient Practices Resolving Ethical Tension Cultural Proficiency Continuum Five Essential Elements of Cultural Competency Conceptual Framework for Culturally Proficient Practices

5 Essential Elements of Cultural Competence Assessing cultural knowledge Valuing diversity Managing the dynamics of difference Adapting to diversity Institutionalizing cultural knowledge Assessing cultural knowledge Valuing diversity Managing the dynamics of difference Adapting to diversity Institutionalizing cultural knowledge

How Does This Connect to Classroom Instruction?

Five Equity-Based Practices in Mathematics Classrooms Going deep with mathematics Leveraging multiple mathematical competencies Affirming mathematics learners’ identities Challenging spaces of marginality Drawing on multiple resources of knowledge (math, culture, language, family, community)

How Does This Relate?

What Now? 3 new ideas 2 wonders 1 action step

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DPI Mathematics Section Beverly Vance K-12 Mathematics & Science Section Chief 919-807-3936 beverly.vance@dpi.nc.gov Denise Schulz Elementary Mathematics Consultant 919-807-3842 denise.schulz@dpi.nc.gov Lisa Ashe Secondary Mathematics Consultant 919-807-3909 lisa.ashe@dpi.nc.gov Joseph Reaper 919-807-3691 joseph.reaper@dpi.nc.gov 36