Discover. Create. Change. Robert Q. Berry, III, Ph.D. Associate Professor Mathematics Education University of Virginia Beyond Catchphrases and statistics: Culturally Relevant Mathematics Teaching

Narratives

Impact of Narratives These narratives lead to masternarratives Masternarratives are public discourses that often position Black learners in mathematics as: –Incapable –Deficient –Underachievers Discover. Create. Change.

Damaging Effect of Masternaratives The narratives about Black children in mathematics education research, policy, and practice contexts are often conversations about how they differ from “white” children and “Asian” children (Martin, 2012). –Achievement Gap Lens

Change the Narrative Black children are inherently creative, talented, and brilliant in mathematics. This narrative is not focused on exceptions or counter examples: –Find the brilliance in the daily occurrences –Find the brilliance in their stories

Change the Narrative In order to change the narrative we must know students’ stories. When we know their stories, we know their motivations, and when we know their motivations, we recognize their brilliance. Discover. Create. Change.

Math, Men, & Mission Discover. Create. Change.

M-Cubed Partnership –Albemarle County Public Schools –Charlottesville City Public Schools –100 Black Men of Central Virginia Black Boys in Grades 3-8 Discover. Create. Change.

Why Black Boys? There is a growing appreciation for the struggles of black boys to grow and develop into productive and emotionally integrated men. –Boy imparts vulnerability and youth, a word that calls forth support Discover. Create. Change.

Recognizing Brilliance Helping boys recognize their own brilliance –“Truly Wonderful and Getting Better.” Discover. Create. Change.

That’s Impossible The Train Problem –A train of length 5 is a row of rods whose combined length is 5. listed separately. If you use identical rods in a different order, it is considered a separate train. How many trains of length 5 are there? 6? 7? 10? Come up with a formula for the number of trains of length n. Discover. Create. Change.

Taking-Risks Discover. Create. Change.

Culturally Relevant Math Teaching Discover. Create. Change. Adapted from Bonner & Adams 2012

CRMT Knowledge –Personal history –Knowledge of mathematics content and pedagogy –Knowledge of students, and –Knowledge of the community To orient instruction toward students’ culture and life experiences Communication Explicit and intentional connection to student culture and language is essential in developing student self-esteem. –Student-to-Student –Student-to-Teacher –Teacher-to-Student Discover. Create. Change.

Relationship/Trust Warm demanders are teachers who know the culture of the students and have strong relationships with the students and demands that students maximize their efforts, show respect, and follow classroom norms. –Social-Emotional-Learning –“Truly Wonderful and Getting Better” Discover. Create. Change.

Culturally Relevant Pedagogy “All students can be successful in mathematics when their understanding of it is linked to meaningful cultural referents and when then instruction assumes that all students are capable of mastering the subject matter” (Ladson-Billings, 1995; p. 141) Discover. Create. Change.

Communities for Black Male Students Develop caring relationships and set high expectations for academic and mathematics success Access and build on experiences and community funds of knowledge; Implement culturally relevant pedagogy; Disrupt school mathematics as a white institutional space (Jett, Stinson, William, 2015). Discover. Create. Change.

Disrupt Institutional Space Generally, mathematics textbooks, and other curricula materials continue to support the myth that mathematics is an enterprise primarily reserved for white men. –Construct the mathematics classroom community as one in which their black male students can elevate their classroom status. Discover. Create. Change.

Capturing Brilliance Discover. Create. Change. –Create opportunities for students to notice Environment Situations “…man I am feeling this…why am I feeling this?” –Create opportunities for students to take risk Rehearsal “…Kyle you are up next.”

Celebrate Brilliance Questions or Compliments –Questions moved the learning forward –Compliments celebrated brilliances and moved the learning forward. –“I have a compliment…Jadien’s table helped me see the pattern.” Discover. Create. Change.

Change the Narrative Twitter, Facebook & Instagram –Use #blackkidsdomath to acknowledge this brilliance when they are engaged in mathematical thinking.