Middle School Mathematics Lessons to Explore, Understand, and Respond to Social Injustice

by Basil M. Conway, Lateefah Id-Deen, Mary Candace Raygoza, Amanda Ruiz, John W Staley

Overview

Learn to design lessons that engage middle school students in mathematics explorations through age-appropriate, culturally relevant social (in)justice topics.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781071845523
Publisher:	SAGE Publications
Publication date:	08/25/2022
Series:	Corwin Mathematics Series
Pages:	392
Product dimensions:	8.50(w) x 11.00(h) x (d)

About the Author

Basil Conway IV is an associate professor of mathematics education in the College of Education and Health Professions at Columbus State University and serves as the mathematics education graduate programs director. He serves on numerous doctoral committees as both a chair and methodologist. He earned his BS, MS, and Ph D. in mathematics education from Auburn University in 2005, 2012, and 2015, respectively. He also completed his MS in statistical science at Colorado State University in 2010.

Basil previously spent 10 years teaching in public middle and high schools before he became a teacher educator. During this time, he also worked as an instructor at a local junior college. Over the past 17 years of service in teaching mathematics and future teachers of mathematics, he has served in various local mathematics education leadership positions and organizations including Transforming East Alabama Mathematics (TEAM-Math), Auburn University’s Teacher Leader Academy, East Alabama Council for Teachers of Mathematics, Woodrow Wilson Fellow, National Mathematics and Science Initiative, and A+ College Ready. He has published works related to teaching mathematics for social justice in numerous books and journals and has a special interest in statistics education.

Basil’s lens for teaching and student learning draws heavily from Vygotsky’s theory of social constructivism in which language and culture play essential roles in human intellectual development. Thus, he believes the co-construction of knowledge is paramount in the development of students’ social, religious, and mathematical identities. He believes teachers, parents, other students, cultural norms, and other cultural communicative devices play a critical role in shaping students’ knowledge of themselves, faith, and mathematics.

Lateefah Id-Deen is an assistant professor for mathematics education in the Bagwell College of Education at Kennesaw State University. She earned her bachelor’s degree from the University of Arkansas Pine Bluff, a master’s degree from Iowa State University, and a doctorate in curriculum, instruction, and teacher education from Michigan State University, with foci in mathematics education and urban education.

She has written several articles and book chapters that examine historically marginalized students’ perspectives on their experiences in mathematics classrooms and ways to support educators in hearing and developing practice in relation to students’ expressed interests. She investigates social justice pedagogies and culturally responsive instructional practices that promote student–teacher relationships, affirm mathematics identities, and cultivate belongingness to support students’ learning experiences in mathematics classrooms. She has engaged in projects that support Black girls’ schooling experiences. She also works with curriculum developers, schools, and districts that want to incorporate culturally relevant and anti-racist mathematics instructional strategies in mathematics classrooms. Her work reflects her passion for creating equitable learning environments for historically marginalized students in mathematics classrooms. Connect with her on Twitter @Prof_Id Deen L.

Mary Candace Raygoza (she/her/hers) is a STEMinist (STEM and feminist!) teacher educator. She is an associate professor of teacher education at Saint Mary’s College of California and teaches courses including Humanizing Education Methods, Teaching for Social Justice, and Praxis Seminar. She is the lead investigator on a National Science Foundation grant to design the STEM Teachers for Justice, Community, and Leadership teaching pathway at Saint Mary’s. Mary earned a bachelor’s degree in sociology with an education minor at University of California, Berkeley and a full mathematics teaching credential and MEd, followed by a Ph D in urban schooling, at University of California, Los Angeles. Her scholarship explores teaching mathematics for social justice and critical, justice-oriented, anti-racist teacher education.

Mary is a former high school mathematics teacher in East Los Angeles, where she taught algebra and geometry, with a commitment to teaching about the social and political world through mathematics and supporting students to develop as researchers and change agents through youth participatory action research. Mary believes in fostering teachers to develop as transformative leaders who will create a more just world in solidarity with youth and communities.

Amanda Ruiz was born in Long Beach and raised in Huntington Beach, California. She left Southern California for the Bay Area to attend University of California, Berkeley, where she created her own major focused on social movements. After some experience working in secondary education and a realization that mathematics is a social justice issue, Amanda went back to school to pursue a degree in mathematics. She received a master’s degree in mathematics from San Francisco State University and then her Ph D in mathematics from Binghamton University in 2013. After a year as a teaching and research postdoctoral fellow in the Mathematics Department at Harvey Mudd College, Amanda joined the University of San Diego where she is now an associate professor of mathematics.

Amanda’s Ph D thesis was on realization spaces of phased matroids. While her prior research is predominantly in combinatorics and matroid theory, her research has more recently expanded to include pedagogical work. She is particularly interested in using mathematics to study issues of social justice and investigating pedagogies that make mathematical spaces more inclusive, where those traditionally underrepresented in mathematics can thrive.

John W. Staley, Ph.D., has been involved in mathematics education for over 35 years as a secondary mathematics teacher, adjunct professor, district and national leader, and consultant. During his career he has presented at state, national, and international conferences; served on many committees and task forces; facilitated workshops and professional development sessions on a variety of topics; and received the Presidential Award for Excellence in Teaching Mathematics and Science. A past president for NCSM, the mathematics education leadership organization, and past chair of the U.S. National Commission on Mathematics Instruction, he continues to serve on several advisory boards and is a co-founder of Math Milestones. He is a coauthor for Middle School (2023) and High School (2022) Mathematics Lessons to Explore, Understand, and Respond to Social Injustice (Corwin/NCTM), Catalyzing Change in High School Mathematics: Initiating Critical Conversations (NCTM), and Framework for Leadership in Mathematics Education (NCSM). John’s current passion and work focuses on projects that involve changing the narrative about who is seen as being doers, learners, and teachers of mathematics, especially for African American boys and men; student readiness for Algebra and success during the transition years; and building mathematics education leaders at all levels. Follow at X @jstaley06 to learn more about his work.

Eva Thanheiser is a mathematics teacher educator. She is a professor of mathematics education at Portland State University in Portland, Oregon. Eva teaches mathematics content courses for elementary and middle school teachers. She contextualizes much of the mathematics content in social and political contexts.

She is the lead investigator on two National Science Foundation grants, one to connect elementary mathematics to the world and another focused on anti-bias mathematics education at the K–12 level. Eva started her studies in Germany and finished a master’s in mathematics in 1998 at Kansas University and a Ph D in mathematics education in 2005 at the joint doctoral program between the University of California San Diego and San Diego State University. Eva’s scholarship explores teaching mathematics for social justice and anti-bias mathematics education.

Eva has received the Early Career Award from the Association of Mathematics Teacher Educators (AMTE) as well as the Sigma Xi Outstanding Researcher Award. She has served in leadership roles at AMTE and the Psychology of Mathematics Education– North America as well as on editorial boards of the Mathematics Teacher Educator and the Journal of Research in Mathematics Education.

Table of Contents

Foreword Julia M. Aguirre xiv

Acknowledgments xvi

About the Authors xix

Introduction 1

Why Is Teaching Mathematics for Social Justice Critical? 2

This Book's Authorship 3

The Lesson Authors 8

Who Is This Book for? 15

The Book's Organization 16

Part I Teachinq Mathematics for Social Justice 19

Chapter 1 What Is Social Justice and Why Does It Matter in Teaching Mathematics? 20

What Does Social Justice Mean to You? 22

What Is Teaching Mathematics for Social Justice? 24

Why Social Justice in Mathematics Education? 29

Conclusion 31

Reflection and Action 33

Chapter 2 Building and Sustaining a Beloved Community in the Middle School Mathematics Classroom 34

Foundations for Belonging in Middle School Mathematics 35

Building a "Beloved Community" in the Middle School Mathematics Classroom 36

Reflection and Action 46

Chapter 3 Fostering a Classroom to Teach Mathematics for Social Justice 47

Content Matters 49

Context Matters 51

When Matters 54

How Matters 56

Responding to Pushback or Backlash 57

Conclusion 60

Reflection and Action 61

Chapter 4 Insturcitonal Tools for the Social Justice Mathematics Lesson 62

Establishing Goals 62

Teaching Equitably 65

Managing Discourse 66

Assessing Purposefully 71

Conclusion 76

Reflection and Action 76

Chapter 5 Teaching the Social Justice Mathematics Lesson 77

Social Justice Mathematics Framework 77

Planning to Implement a SJML 82

Last Words Before You Go Teach 87

Conclusion 89

Reflection and Action 89

Part II Social Justice Mathematics Lessons 91

Chapter 6 The Number System 92

6.1 Food Apartheid: Graphing and Understanding Access to Health Food Becky Evans Emmalee Bielenberg Julia Novosad Cassie Ruettiger 93

6.2 Cor(o)ner Stores and Food Apartheid Michelle Cody Kari Kokka 99

6.3 Billionaire Power Natalie Odom Pough Y. Rhoda Latimer 109

6.4 Middle School Mathematics to Explore People Represented in Our World and Community Mary Candace Raygoza Eva Thanheiser Courtney Koestler Jeff Craig Lynette Guzmán 115

Chapter 7 Ratios and Proportional Relationships 124

7.1 Hey Google, Who's a Mathematician? Allyson Lam 126

7.2 The True Cost of That $29 T-Shirt in the Store Window Bethany Chan Debasmita Basu Rebecca Ellis Frances K. Harper Jennifer Ruef 134

7.3 Majority and Power Jennifer A. Wolfe Farshid Safi 141

7.4 Smoking and Vaping: Targeting of Marginalized Communities by the Tobacco Industry Nichole Campbell Peggy Nayar 152

7.5 Health, Race, and Ratios Travis Weiland Melissa A. Gallagher 159

7.6 Health Inequalities: COVID-19 and Other Health Conditions Tashana Howse Kendrick Savage 173

Chapter 8 Algebra: Expressions, Equations, and Functions 184

8.1 Gerrymandering of Voting Districts Chuck Munter Cara Haines 185

8.2 National Team Pay Investigation Andrew Reardon 193

8.3 The Black Vote in America: Impact of the 1965 Voting Rights Act Chuck Munter Cara Haines 198

Chapter 9 Statistics and Probability 206

9.1 Playing With Data Odesma Dalrymple Marissa Forbes Celina Gonzalez Kristin Komatsubara Perla Lahana Myers Joi Spencer 208

9.2 The Mathematics of Toxic Air Emissions Queshonda Kudaisi Oluwaseun Kudaisi 220

9.3 Gender Pay Gap Liza (Cope) Bondurant Lee Inmon Dean Rebecca Hudson 224

9.4 How Many Meals Can Minimum Wage Buy? Elizabeth O. Ayisi Colleen Carman 232

Chapter 10 Geometry 242

10.1 Map Projections Lisa Skultety Candace Joswick Melissa Troudt Robin Keturah Anderson 244

10.2 3D Modeling for Water Mathew D. Felton-Koestler Courtney Koestler 254

10.3 Water Is Life-Our Collective Past, Present, and Future Sara Rezvi Tyrone Martinez-Black 263

10.4 Accessible Playground Maggie Lee McHugh Jennifer Kosiak 276

10.5 Investigating Areas to Determine Fairness Jennifer Dao 285

Part III Next Steps 295

Chapter 11 Advice From the Field 296

Successes Implementing SJMLs 297

Plan for and Respond to Challenges 300

Additional Advice to Colleagues implementing SJMLs 301

Support Yourself to Sustain and Persist 303

Conclusion 304

Chapter 12 Creating Social Justice Mathematics Lessors for Your Own Classroom 308

Setting a Framework for an Effective SJML 308

Getting Started 319

Final Words 325

Appendix A Additional Resources 327

Appendix B Lesson Resources 331

Appendix C Essential Middle Grades Concepts 338

Appendix D Social Justice Topics, Standards, and Grade Level Outcomes 340

Appendix E Lessons by Essential Middle Grades Concepts, Social Justice Grades 6-8 Outcomes, and Social Justice Topics 342

Appendix F Social Justice Mathematics Lesson Planner 348

References 350

Index 356

Editorial Reviews

Middle School Mathematics Lessons to Explore, Understand, and Respond to Social Injustice is a book written for the teacher of mathematics. This diverse group of authors and educators provides everything a teacher needs to transform their practice from critical theory to teachable lesson plans! A must-read for educators who seek to transform mathematics back to its humanistic roots.

Seattle, WA - Shraddha Shirude

A very compelling set of fresh ideas are offered that prepare educators to turn the corner on advocating for social justice in the mathematics classroom. Each book is full of engaging activities, frameworks, and standards that center instruction on community, worldview, and the developmental needs of all students—a much-needed resource to reboot our commitment to the next generation.

Cave Creek, AZ - Linda M. Fulmore

A wonderful collection of lessons, submitted by teachers, to help students of all ages see topics they care about, and use mathematics as a tool for progress in the world.

Stanford, CA - Jo Boaler

Middle School Mathematics Lessons to Explore, Understand, and Respond to Social Injustice is a must-have resource for any middle school educator seeking to incorporate teaching mathematics for social justice in their educational environment. This book provides practical lessons that will truly enhance a child’s educational experience through engaging them in relevant applications of mathematics.

Winter Garden, FL - Kristopher J. Childs

If you teach middle school mathematics and have wanted to promote social justice but haven’t been sure how to get started, you need to check out this book. It incorporates lessons you can use immediately as well as how to foster the kind of classroom community where students will thrive. It’s the kind of book you’ll want to have alongside you to support you throughout your journey.

Long Beach, CA - Robert Kaplinsky

Middle School Mathematics Lessons to Explore, Understand, and Respond to Social Injustice is an outstanding addition to the growing number of texts and projects that weave the teaching of mathematics and social justice together. The authors go deep and broad to show how, why, and when this combination of curricular topics improves our students’ mathematical understandings while honing their abilities and dispositions to promote social and environmental justice in their own lives and communities.

Milwaukee, WI - Bob Peterson

I imagine many people will purchase this book for the sample lesson plans. And you should; they’re fabulous. But just as fabulous, and equally important, is the framework the authors lay out for a comprehensive, holistic, transformative approach to mathematics teaching, with social justice at its core.

Columbia, SC - Paul C. Gorski

As a teacher educator for social justice, I am familiar with the near-constant refrain of “this isn’t something you can do in math!” This book illustrates just the opposite. Indeed, not only is it possible to engage in social justice mathematics, but it is an educational imperative to do so. This much-needed and valuable collection provides practitioners with clear and compelling lessons that are grounded in theories of justice and equity. Especially timely in this text is the clear evidence that not only can middle school young adolescents engage in critical conversations, problem solving, and sociocultural analysis in their mathematics classes, but they must. The editors and contributors to this volume have curated a powerful resource that is a must-read for all mathematics educators and those who care about social justice teaching and learning.

East Lansing, MI - Alyssa Hadley Dunn

Conway et al. have done it again! In this volume, not only do the authors share rich, standards- based, grade-level appropriate mathematical tasks with social justice contexts, they also share specific strategies and tools to engage the middle school mathematics student.

Los Angeles, CA - Kyndall Brown