1. Multi-cultural mathematics Benedicte Bosrup Center of education in Larvik Norway School of Norwegian language Bucuresti27 October 2006

2. Outline Introduction Introduction Multicultural Multicultural mathematics Background Background Language Language and mathematics Parents Parents as the main resource Summary Summary

3. Who are we?

4. “Centrum” school for children and youth Includes two primary-schools and Includes two primary-schools and one lower secondary school: - “Torstrand” and “Byskogen primary school” -“Mesterfjellet lower secondary school”

5. ”Center of education in Larvik” ”School of Norwegian language” ”School of Norwegian language” -A school for immigrants and refugees who has to learn Norwegian and Norwegian culture -A school for immigrants and refugees who has to learn Norwegian and Norwegian culture -Specially groups for mother and child for learning Norwegian together -Groups for youths 16-20 years where they can take their exams for further studies ”The World champion” ”The World champion” -A school for children of immigrants and refugees who just has arrived to Norway -A school for children of immigrants and refugees who just has arrived to Norway

6. Our surroundings

7. Multicultural mathematics

8. Background International studies shows that students with a minority language has lower score in mathematics than other students with the majority language. International studies shows that students with a minority language has lower score in mathematics than other students with the majority language. Parents with minority background has a tendency to disappear from the activities at school Parents with minority background has a tendency to disappear from the activities at school

9. Why? Language Language Cultural differences Cultural differences Fear Fear

10. Language and mathematics belongs to each other

11. Jim Cummins BICS BICS Basic Interpersonal Communication Skills CALP CALP Cognitive Academic Language Proficiency

12. What we need for understanding mathematics are: Concepts Concepts Experiences Experiences Capability Capability Logical thinking Logical thinking Translating Translating Understanding Understanding

13. Communication in mathematics

14. Abstractions Abstractions Symbols Symbols

15. The practical way To see the connections To see the connections To recognize what's famous To recognize what's famous To translate the language into a To translate the language into a mathematical language

16. What are the children doing of mathematics? They count They count They make rules They make rules They compare They compare They know what is fair and unfair They know what is fair and unfair

17. Ethno-mathematics Where did it all start? Where did it all start? Pythagoras Pythagoras The Maya-peoples mathematics The Maya-peoples mathematics

18. Mathematics in all cultures Counting Counting Games Games Hand-craft Hand-craft Cooking Cooking

19. Focus at school: Which countries are represented in the class? Which countries are represented in the class? How is the math in those countries? How is the math in those countries? Children thinks it is very exciting to learn perhaps math in Arabian. Children thinks it is very exciting to learn perhaps math in Arabian.

20. Our thoughts Creating models in teaching children with two languages. Creating models in teaching children with two languages. Establish good areas for planning and evaluation in education of children from the minorities. Establish good areas for planning and evaluation in education of children from the minorities. Give the students and their parents pride of their culture. Give the students and their parents pride of their culture.

21. Parents as the main resource

22. In our schools we want to: Educate the parents so they can be able to help their children by: Educate the parents so they can be able to help their children by: – Motivating and being important supporters. – Giving knowledge about how we teach at school.

23. How? Cooperate school and family. Cooperate school and family. Training mathematics in the mother tongue. Training mathematics in the mother tongue. Change some assumptions for how we teach in mathematics. Change some assumptions for how we teach in mathematics.

24. Homework

25. International meeting for parents We invite all the parents with minority background at our schools to a meeting. We invite all the parents with minority background at our schools to a meeting.

26. Cooperating Family SchoolCultureIdentity

27. Organize supporters in homework: Each school has their own homework group Each school has their own homework group Managed by a professional homework teacher and voluntary helpers Managed by a professional homework teacher and voluntary helpers

28. The school and the teachers They need to cooperate and have the child and it’s family in focus They need to cooperate and have the child and it’s family in focus

29. Cooperation at school Math-teacher Double- lingual teacher Teacher in second language

30. Our project Multi- cultural mathematics Educating parents in how to help children with mathematics Let the parents be involved and included in the school Homework project and serving of a warm meal Steering Committee Project group with teachers in mother tongue, math, second language from each school and the project leader Educating bilingual teachers in how to teach mathematics Professional homework- groups at school

31. Our intension Better mathematical understanding for bilingual children Better mathematical understanding for bilingual children Consciousness for the parents in how they can help and support their children Consciousness for the parents in how they can help and support their children To create a good dialog between family and school about the child's level To create a good dialog between family and school about the child's level

32. Our intensions for the teachers: Better education of teachers in how to teach in a bilingual perspective Better education of teachers in how to teach in a bilingual perspective – second language – mother tongue – mathematics How to teach mathematics with a multicultural perspective How to teach mathematics with a multicultural perspective

33. Multi-cultural mathematics Summary Vision Vision – Every child has the right of good education despite of their parents ethnicity, economy, education or culture Our strategy: Our strategy: – Develop our experiences with other schools – Develop the pride and respect for other cultures

34. Thank you for listening! benedicte.bostrup@larvik.kommune.no benedicte.bostrup@larvik.kommune.nobenedicte.bostrup@larvik.kommune.no Bucuresti 27 October 2006