1. Mathematics Teachers as Gatekeepers
Presented by Stacey Canino
June 24, 2011
Welcome to the presentation of Mathematics as Gatekeepers. My name is Stacey Canino, and I am a graduate student at SUNY Oswego.

2. What is a gatekeeper? Merriam-Webster defines a gatekeeper as
One who tends or guards the gate
A person who controls access
We will start with the definition of gatekeeper. Merriam Webster defines a gatekeeper as one who tends or guards a gate and, the most pertinent definition, as a person who controls access.

3. Access to what?
We as teachers control the access of our students to the learning of mathematics
Learning for the benefit that the skills of mathematical thinking can add to one’s life
Our educational system is structured so that college opportunity is dependent on success in mathematics
What do we as mathematics teachers control access to? More than we might think. Not only can we provide or deny access to the skills that mathematical thinking can add to one’s life, but the structure of our educational system limits college opportunity to only those who are successful in mathematics. Mathematics acts as a filter for access to college, and those do get there have a significantly lower chance of success if they are placed in remedial classes.

4. Do teachers really have this power?
There are many factors affecting student success that we can’t control, but they only become barriers when we use them as an excuse
We may not be able to control what we teach, but we can control how we teach it
This seems like a lot of responsibility placed on one person and it may even seem unfair, especially when there are so many factors that we as teachers cannot control. This is how I began to think after my first few years of teaching. As I have taken a step back from teaching due to budget cuts, I have had a chance to re-evaluate my thinking. I now see that the good teachers are those who see the problems but look for ways to help students overcome them rather than throwing their hands up in the air. Another excuse that we lean on is the fact that we are at the mercy of the government when it comes to our curriculum, but as my professor, Dr. Burrell, stated once in class, We may not be able to control what we teach, but we can control how we teach it.

5. How can we let students in?
By believing that all students are capable of mastering a challenging curriculum
Combat stereotypes and hidden biases
Create a classroom community where all students feel that their input is valued and necessary
How can we as gatekeepers let students in? There many ways that we as teachers can control the gate, but I will highlight two that I have learned from class readings and experience.
First, we must believe that all students are capable of mastering a challenging curriculum. Our beliefs about our student’s abilities can be a barrier to their learning. We must be sure that we are not unintentionally judging mathematical ability by race, gender, socioeconomic status, or any other characteristic that carries with it a stereotype. When we perceive students as having low ability and then dumb down the curriculum for these students, we deprive them of learning experiences that are necessary for future success and project our belief onto them that they can’t learn mathematics. When we create a classroom community where all students feel that their input is valued and necessary, we show them that we believe that they are all capable and improve their self-concept toward mathematics.

6. How can we let students in? (cont.)
By providing all students with the opportunity to make connections and derive meaning for themselves
Use a problem solving approach and higher level questioning
By showing students that math is not just about rules that must be followed
Second, we need to provide all students with the opportunity to make connections and solve problems on their own. The traditional method of teaching mathematics for, as Davidenko and Tinto describe as “instrumental understanding”, limits the learning of students. A problem-solving approach combined with higher level questions promotes mathematical thinking processes and changes students views about the what mathematics is. Students opposition to math is often based on their perceived lack of ability (or even motivation) to follow the rules.

7. Final Thoughts I thought the students would love this!
I want to keep my job!
Be prepared for resistance. When students are used to being fed a procedure, they are comfortable and may become frustrated when this does not happen. Especially when you are new.
I was told by several colleagues that until I got tenure, I had to play the game and then I could do whatever I wanted with students. However, I saw many teachers continued to play the game, forgetting what their original aspirations were because their students were successful on standardized tests. I now see that this is a terrible way to begin teaching and while the game does need to be played, it does not have to be choice of one or the other. Our evaluations as teachers does come from student performance on standardized tests, but we can hold our students to higher standards throughout the year

8. References
Davidenko, S.M. & Tinto, P.P. Equity for all learners of mathematics: is access enough? (2003). In Kluth, P., Straut, D.M. & Biklen, D.P. (Eds.), Access to Academics for All Students: Critical Approaches To Inclusive Curriculum, Instruction, and Policy (pp ). Mahwah, New Jersey: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.