Cases for Mathematics Teacher Educators

Facilitating Conversations about Inequities in Mathematics Classrooms

Edited by:
Dorothy Y. White, University of Georgia
Sandra Crespo, Michigan State University
Marta Civil, The University of Arizona

A volume in the series: The Association of Mathematics Teacher Educators (AMTE) Professional Book Series. Editor(s): Babette M. Benken, California State University, Long Beach.

Published 2016

The Association of Mathematics Teacher Educators (AMTE) in its 2015 position paper on Equity in Mathematics Teacher Education provides a list of actions for mathematics teacher educators (MTE’s) to help them develop and implement equitable practices. The position paper states it is critical that mathematics teacher educators: “Model equity‐based pedagogy that emphasizes rich and rigorous mathematics; elicit and build on children’s and young adults’ mathematical thinking; connect to P‐12 students’ cultural/linguistic knowledge and backgrounds as well as individual interests; facilitate mathematical discourse; minimize status issues by expanding broader participation and engagement where varied mathematical strengths are valued; and promote positive mathematical identity and agency (p. 2)”.

Cases for Mathematics Teacher Educators: Facilitating Conversations about Inequities in Mathematics Classrooms provides an excellent resource to start conversations describing the enactment of these actions. The book is organized into three main sections: (1) Conversations About Inequities in Mathematics Methods Courses, (2) Conversations About Inequities in Mathematics Content Courses, and (3) Conversations about Inequities in Graduate and Professional Development Contexts. Across these sections there are 19 cases and 57 corresponding commentaries focused on dilemmas that arise when mathematics teacher educators foreground equity in their work. This book of cases provides a needed resource for MTEs to engage prospective teachers, practicing teachers, and future teacher educators in discussions about inequities, privilege, and oppression in society, in schools, and in the mathematics classroom. It is the product of the thinking and experiences of 87 authors who are committed to the improvement of mathematics teacher education.

CONTENTS
Foreword, Fran Arbaugh and Christine D. Thomas. Foreword, Christine A Browning. Preface. Facilitating Conversations about Inequities in Mathematics Classrooms, Dorothy Y. White, Sandra Crespo, and Marta Civil. PART I: CONVERSATIONS ABOUT INEQUITIES IN MATHEMATICS METHODS COURSES, Imani Goffney and Sandra Crespo. Addressing Deficit Language in Math Methods: Providing Critical Feedback to Preservice Teachers, Julia Maria Aguirre. Providing Respectful and Ability‐Oriented Feedback to Parents: A Commentary on Aguirre’s Case, Monica Gonzalez. Missing in the Numbers: Examination of Teacher and Racial Identities: A Commentary on Aguirre’s Case, Ebony O. McGee. Critical Dialogues to Promote Transformative Learning: A Commentary on Aguirre’s Case, Beatriz Quintos. Understanding White Privilege: When a Good Task Is Not Enough, Kristen Bieda. Acknowledging Personal Perspectives to Build Mathematical Understandings: A Commentary on Bieda’s Case, Cynthia Oropesa Anhalt. The Importance of Context and Nuance in Designing Learning Experiences for Teachers: A Commentary on Bieda’s Case, Erica N. Walker. Supporting Novice Mathematics Teachers’ Racial Consciousness: A Commentary on Bieda’s Case, Craig Willey. Why Are You Asking For These Impossible Math Lessons? Sandra Crespo. Identifying and Supporting the Next Small Step Together: A Commentary on Crespo’s Case, Megan Franke. Equitable Mathematics Teaching for All Students: A Commentary on Crespo’s Case, Christa Jackson. Turning Disappointing Student Emails into Teachable Moments: A Commentary on Crespo’s Case, David W. Stinson. Problematizing Gender: Trepidation and Uncertainty, Carlos Nicolas Gomez and Eric Siy. Using Media to Problematize Gender Stereotypes in the Mathematics Classroom: A Commentary on Gomez and Siy’s Case, Katrina Piatek‐Jimenez. Problematizing Gender: Learning to Embrace Uncertainty: A Commentary on Gomez and Siy’s Case, Kai Rands. Gender ≠ Sex ≠ Sexual Orientation: A Commentary on Gomez and Siy’s Case, Marcy B. Wood. Challenging and Disrupting Deficit Notions in Our Work with ECE and Elementary Teachers, Courtney Koestler. Weakening Deficit Perspectives with Collective Agency: A Commentary on Koestler’s Case, Higinio Dominguez. Building Partnerships to Challenge and Disrupt Deficit Views of Students and Communities: A Commentary on Koestler’s Case, Elham Kazemi. Creating Invitations to Disrupt Deficit Discourses: A Commentary on Koestler’s Case, Amy Noelle Parks. Case X: Opportunities for America’s Youth, Kimberly Melgar and Dan Battey. The Delicate Balance of a Three‐Legged Stool: A Commentary on Melgar and Battey’s Case, Erika C. Bullock. Validating and Contextualizing Preservice Teachers’ Resistance to Social Justice Pedagogy in Mathematics: A Commentary on Melgar and Battey’s Case, Niral Shah. Conceptions of Equity and Their Impact on Students’ Opportunities to Learn Mathematics: A Commentary on Melgar and Battey’s Case, Marilyn Strutchens. Hearing Mathematical Competence Expressed in Emergent Language, Judit Moschkovich. Teaching Preservice Teachers to Successfully Position English Learners: A Commentary on Moschkovich’s Case, Kathryn B. Chval and Rachel J. Pinnow. Preparing Our New Teachers (and Ourselves) to “Hear Mathematical Competence”: A Commentary on Moschkovich’s Case, Crystal Kalinec‐Craig. Positioning, Status, and Power: Framing the Participation of EL Students in Mathematics Discussions for Prospective Teachers: A Commentary on Moschkovich’s Case, Maria del Rosario Zavala. Tracking in a Local Middle School: Do You See What I See? Dorothy Y. White. Unpacking Expectations and Lenses in Mathematics Classroom Observations: A Commentary on White’s Case, Lynette DeAun Guzman. Seeing Isn’t Always Believing: Recognizing Race Dysconciousness in the Preservice Teacher Context: A Commentary on White’s Case, Danny Bernard Martin. Identity, Context, and Conversations About Racism: A Commentary on White’s Case, Joy Oslund. PART II: CONVERSATIONS ABOUT INEQUITIES IN MATHEMATICS CONTENT COURSES, Mathew D. Felton‐Koestler and Marta Civil. “This Is Nice But They Need to Learn to Do Things the U.S. Way”: Reactions to Different Algorithms, Marta Civil. When the “U.S. Way” Is Not the Standard! A Commentary on Civil’s Case, Beatriz D’Ambrosio. Noticing Student Thinking: A Commentary on Civil’s Case, Eileen Murray. Valorization of Knowledge as a Component of Understanding and Building Upon Students’ Thinking: A Commentary on Civil’s Case, Randolph A. Philipp. Using Mathematics to Investigate Social and Political Issues: The Case of “Illegal Immigration, Mathew D. Felton‐Koestler. Tensions and Opportunities When Implementing Social Justice Mathematics Tasks: A Commentary on Felton‐Koestler’s Case, Kyndall Brown. The Need to Be Intentional in the Integration of Social Justice in Mathematics Content Courses: A Commentary on Felton‐Koestler’s Case, Sylvia Celedón‐Pattichis. “Strategic Intrusion”: A Commentary on Felton‐Koestler’s Case, La Mont Terry. Searching for Cohesion in a Mathematics Course for Social Analysis, Jean M. Mistele and Laura J. Jacobsen. Embracing Tensions: A Commentary to Mistele and Jacobsen’s Case, Jessica Pierson Bishop. Less is More: A Commentary on Mistele and Jacobsen’s Case, Anthony Fernandes. Responding to Students’ Needs: A Commentary on Mistele and Jacobsen’s Case, William Zahner. Not Called to Action (or Called Upon to Act): Can Social Justice Contexts Have a Lasting Impact on Preservice Teachers? Ksenija Simic‐Muller. Becoming Political in Mathematics Education Class: A Commentary on Simic‐Muller’s Case, Eric (Rico) Gutstein. Teaching Mathematics for Social Justice as Engaging in Joint Action with Students: A Commentary on Simic‐Muller’s Case, Arthur B. Powell. Mathematics and Activism: A Commentary on Simic‐Muller’s Case, Judith Quander. Who Counts as a Mathematician? Sharon Strickland. Buttons and Mathematicians: A Commentary on Strickland’s Case, Zandra de Araujo. Broadening Perspectives Through Purposeful Reflection: A Commentary on Strickland’s Case, Jennifer A. Eli. Doing Mathematics and Being a Mathematician, These May Be Different: A Commentary on Strickland’s Case, Tod Shockey. PART III: CONVERSATIONS ABOUT INEQUITIES IN GRADUATE AND PROFESSIONALDEVELOPMENT CONTEXTS, Joi A. Spencer and Dorothy Y. White. Are These Two Sides of the Same Coin? Teachers’ Commitment to Culturally Relevant Teaching While Holding Deficit Views of Poor Communities, Tonya Bartell, Lateefah IdDeen, Frieda Parker, and Jodie Novak. Responding to Mathematics Teachers’ Deficit Perspectives About Economically Disadvantaged Students and Their Families: A Commentary on Bartell et al.’s Case, Richard Kitchen. Teaching Privilege About Equity: A Commentary on Bartell et al.’s Case, Brian R Lawler. What Are We Doing When Understanding Culture Is Not Enough? A Commentary on Bartell et al.’s Case, Crystal H. Morton. How Do I Learn to Like This Child So I Can Teach Him Mathematics: The Case of Rebecca, Mary Foote. Examining Interest Convergence and Identity: A Commentary on Foote’s Case, Robert Q. Berry III. Supporting a Teacher’s Shift from Deficits to Funds of Knowledge: A Commentary on Foote’s Case, Maura Varley Gutiérrez. A Commentary on Foote’s Case, Nora G. Ramírez. Challenging Deficit Language, Imani Masters Goffney. Adjusting Perspectives: A Commentary on Goffney’s Case, Joel Amidon. Supporting Strength‐Based Perspectives and Understandings: A Commentary on Goffney’s Case, Amy Roth McDuffie. Challenging Mathematics Teachers’ Deficit‐Language Use: A Commentary on Goffney’s Case, Eugenia Vomvoridi‐Ivanovlc. Moving from Addressing One’s Target Identity to Addressing One’s Nontarget Identities, Beth A. Herbel‐Eisenmann. Anticipating the Unexpected: Managing a Dilemma During Facilitation of a Social Justice Mathematics Task: A Commentary on Herbel‐Eisenmann’s Case, Lawrence Clark. Challenging PSTs’ Views and the Inherent Subjectivity While Doing So: A Commentary on Herbel‐Eisenmann’s Case, Laura McLeman. On Denial and the Search for Explanation: A Commentary on Herbel‐Eisenmann’s Case, José María Menéndez. Learning About Students and Communities Using Data and Maps, Laurie H. Rubel. The Frog in the Pan: Developing Critical Awareness in Mathematics Teachers: A Commentary on Rubel’s Case, Rodrigo Jorge Gutiérrez and Alice Cook. Can Mathematics Pave the Road to Social Justice? A Commentary on Rubel’s Case, Robert Klein. Being Students and Teachers of Math and Social Justice: A Commentary on Rubel’s Case, Cynthia Nicol. “Let Me Be Your Cultural Resource”: Facilitating Safe Spaces in Professional Development, Anita A. Wager. Opening Spaces in Mathematics Teacher Education: A Commentary on Wager’s Case, Corey Drake. Nosotras Spaces: Cobuilding Transformational Bridges: A Commentary on Wager’s Case, Carlos A. López Leiva. Seeing the Problem Before Attempting to Solve It: The Role of Noticing Sociopolitical Narratives in Equity‐Focused Work: A Commentary on Wager’s Case, Jennifer M. Langer‐Osuna. About the Editors.