due 6 am est on 4/7/5

Reply 1 KC

I really enjoyed the article entitled, “Are Issues of Equity in Mathematics the Same across Racial, Ethnic, Class and Gender Boundaries,” because it talks about how though there are different minority groups, that we can kind of all join together to fight for our rights. In the same light, they also describe that though these groups can fight together, they all are very different and will need many different things, and many may not ever be able to understand the different hardships that another is going through. I really enjoyed reading about the culture of women, and how some people don’t even think that there is a culture for women.

The second article, “Creating Multiple Representations in Algebra: All Chocolate,” I really liked how the author talked about the different ways there was success in the classroom and how the students achieved knowledge and felt confident in their answers and what they were doing. I especially liked the section on modifications because it told what they would do in this activity for younger students or students with special needs, which shows they were thinking about them, and different entry points, which is great!

In your classroom do all students (male, female, different abilities)...

1. have your encouragement to share their thinking and reasoning about the problems they solve in small groups or with the class as a whole? yes

2. receive quality and varied feedback (questioning, constructive criticism, etc.)? yes

3. expect to take responsibility within small groups? yes

4. gain practice trying out invented algorithms as well as conventional strategies for solving problems? yes

5. have an opportunity to work with manipulatives and other hands-on learning tools? yes

6. follow established rules for participation (such as calmly raising a hand or waiting to be called on) so that no one student dominates class time and teacher attention? yes

7. have a chance to use examples and experiences that draw on their own interests? yes

8. have equal time at the computer and use the computer for mathematical problem-solving (rather than only for practice with isolated skills, such as number facts)? yes

9. have exposure to math problems grounded in real-life situations that include opportunities to be "messy" (estimation, making predictions, multiple problem-solving methods)? yes

Do you...

1. use language that is inclusive for all kinds of students? yes

2. provide activities for students to develop those skills, such as spatial skills and higher order problem-solving, that have "disparate developments in students"? yes

3. allow adequate wait time (3-5 seconds) for students to answer a question? Not all the time.

4. hold high expectations for, and communicate those expectations to, all students? Could be better at this.

5. find ways to engage all students in class discussion, even those who are more quiet or passive? yes

6. analyze your interactions with students to check for biased language and stereotyping? no

7. try to use software that is free of harmful gender or other stereotypes and that is mathematically rich? yes

8. encourage girls to be confident in their abilities as mathematicians? Could be better

9. encourage girls to pursue math in high school, college, and beyond? yes

10. structure problem-solving activities so that they are cooperative/collaborative rather than competitive? Could be better

11. strive to call on a variety of students, and especially work to involve students who tend not to participate in discussion? yes

Reply 2SH

I found the first article, by Jay Hill, somewhat discombobulating. I believe I got hung up on the phrase “culture of women” and the subsequent sentence, “this means a full acceptance that women have a different view of the world (and, consequently, mathematics) that is as valid as world views held by men.” I don’t particularly like thinking of academic subjects as gendered, especially math, perhaps because I’m sensitive to the fact that giving something a feminine gender often weakens it.

I agreed wholeheartedly with the final sentence, which said, “There are so many forces at work that to ignore the influence of gender and to focus on ethnic or SES group membership would be a disservice to all, particularly when one must note that gender is a factor that cuts across all races, ethnicities and social classes.” Though that made “the culture of women” more unclear to me, as, as it states, “female culture” necessarily incorporates all other types of cultures. I’m not saying there aren’t things that relate to women alone, I just find it hard to compile them into a cohesive “culture.” Though, that may be a semantics issue.

As a prospective elementary school teacher, and one most comfortable with 1st to 4th grades I found the second article, All Chocolate, No Change, less than compelling. It did make me think about the fact that by working primarily with younger grades, my “higher” math (relative to basic addition and subtraction) has been sorely neglected, so was interesting reading from that viewpoint.

In your classroom do all students (male, female, different abilities)...

1.have your encouragement to share their thinking and reasoning about the problems they solve in small groups or with the class as a whole? Yes, I ask a lot of “Why” questions.

2.receive quality and varied feedback (questioning, constructive criticism, etc.)? I think so

3.expect to take responsibility within small groups? N/A

4.gain practice trying out invented algorithms as well as conventional strategies for solving problems? Not really. Though I don’t quite get this.

5.have an opportunity to work with manipulatives and other hands-on learning tools? Yes

6.follow established rules for participation (such as calmly raising a hand or waiting to be called on) so that no one student dominates class time and teacher attention? N/A

7.have a chance to use examples and experiences that draw on their own interests? N/A

8.have equal time at the computer and use the computer for mathematical problem-solving (rather than only for practice with isolated skills, such as number facts)? N/A

9.have exposure to math problems grounded in real-life situations that include opportunities to be "messy" (estimation, making predictions, multiple problem-solving methods)? N/A

Do you...

1.use language that is inclusive for all kinds of students? I think so.

2.provide activities for students to develop those skills, such as spatial skills and higher order problem-solving, that have "disparate developments in students"? N/A

3.allow adequate wait time (3-5 seconds) for students to answer a question? I catch myself answering too early often. I definitely need to work on this.

4.hold high expectations for, and communicate those expectations to, all students? I try to but it is an ongoing process. Much easier to say than do. How does one “communicate” high expectations?

5.find ways to engage all students in class discussion, even those who are more quiet or passive? N/A

6.analyze your interactions with students to check for biased language and stereotyping? No

7.try to use software that is free of harmful gender or other stereotypes and that is mathematically rich? N/A

8.encourage girls to be confident in their abilities as mathematicians? I really try to, although I worry that focusing attention on girls may be internalized as them needing more help, so I’m not sure I’m succeeding.

9.encourage girls to pursue math in high school, college, and beyond? N/A

10.structure problem-solving activities so that they are cooperative/collaborative rather than competitive? N/A

11.strive to call on a variety of students, and especially work to involve students who tend not to participate in discussion? N/A