Culturally Relevant Pedagogy: How Does CRP Look in a Secondary Classroom?
Format
Poster Presentation
First Presenter's Institution
Georgia State University
Second Presenter's Institution
Georgia State University
Third Presenter's Institution
Georgia State University
Fourth Presenter's Institution
NA
Fifth Presenter's Institution
NA
Strand #1
Academic Achievement & School Leadership
Relevance
At several schools today, the continued lack of numeracy among Black students persists is easily recognized in secondary schools where the demand for numeracy is evident in this stage of early education. The national statistics mirror the mathematics’ achievement in many metropolitan schools in the southeastern part of the United States due to poor attendance and a lack of basic mathematical skills among Black students as they continue into middle school education.
Brief Program Description
This session will address Culturally Relevant Pedagogy (CRP) and how secondary mathematics teachers use the CRP framework to teach students with diverse backgrounds. This session will elaborate on what CRP is and why it is necessary in mathematics classrooms. Specific examples and tools for introducing culturally relevant teaching into mathematics classrooms using the standards of mathematical practice will be discussed.
Summary
While there have been several improvements and reforms in education over the last six decades, Black American students continue to receive inadequate educational opportunities especially in the learning of mathematics (Leonard, McKee, & Williams, 2013). According to Bol and Berry (2005), there are several factors that interact to affect achievement disparities between Black and White students. School policies, socioeconomic status, teacher instructional practices, teacher expectations, academic tracking, standardized testing, family dynamics, and student characteristics are just some of the factors most highly observed.
As several discourses examine Black student achievement overall, data informs that focus on Black male student achievement is very critical (Lewis, Simon, Uzzell, Horwitz, and Casserly, 2010). Black males are the fastest growing group to commit suicide, contract HIV and AIDS, and lead the country in homicides, as victims and offenders (Noguera, 2003). To add to their plight, they enter the world at birth with the lowest probability of living more than one year and realizing a shortened life expectancy after that. Focusing attention on this group (Black males), in particular in the area of mathematics achievement may influence their social decisions and motivate them to affect change for themselves and within their communities (Anyon, 2014; Gutstein, 2006).
This presentation will offer information and insight to the importance of Black student achievement through the examination of at least three project based learning activities designed to address social justice issues.
Evidence
There is a large body of research on the topics of Culturally Relevant Pedagogy (CRP), Black Student Achievement and Mathematics for Social Justice offered by the following scholars:
Berry III, R. Q. (2003). Mathematics standards, cultural styles, and learning preferences: The plight and the promise of African American students. The Clearing House, 76(5), 244-249.
Davis, J. (2014). The mathematical experiences of Black males in a predominantly Black urban middle school and community. International Journal of Education in Mathematics, Science and Technology, 2(3).
Gutstein, E. (2006). Reading and writing the world with mathematics: Toward a pedagogy for social justice. Milton Park, OX: Taylor & Francis.
Ladson-Billings, G. (1997). It doesn't add up: African American students' mathematics achievement. Journal for Research in Mathematics education, 28(6), 697-708.
Leonard, J., & Martin, D. B. (Eds.). (2013). The brilliance of Black children in mathematics: Beyond the numbers and toward new discourse. Charlotte, NC: Information Age Publishing.
Martin, D. (2007). Mathematics learning and participation in African American context: The co-construction of identity in two intersecting realms of experience. Diversity, equity, and access to mathematical ideas, 146-158.
Noguera, P. A. (2003). The trouble with Black boys: The role and influence of environmental and cultural factors on the academic performance of African American males. Urban education, 38(4), 431-459.
Whiting, G. W. (2006). From at risk to at promise: Developing scholar identities among Black males. Prufrock Journal, 17(4), 222-229.
Biographical Sketch
Demetria R. Wilson is a doctoral student at Georgia State Univeristy and a sixth grade mathematics teacher in a metropolitan school district. Her research focus is Black male mathematics achievement.
Keyword Descriptors
Culturally Relevant Pedagogy, Black Student Achievement, metropolitan
Presentation Year
2017
Start Date
3-7-2017 4:00 PM
End Date
3-7-2017 5:30 PM
Recommended Citation
Wilson, Demetria R.; Helton, Fanta; and Latchman, Kimberley, "Culturally Relevant Pedagogy: How Does CRP Look in a Secondary Classroom?" (2017). National Youth Advocacy and Resilience Conference. 90.
https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/nyar_savannah/2017/2017/90
Culturally Relevant Pedagogy: How Does CRP Look in a Secondary Classroom?
This session will address Culturally Relevant Pedagogy (CRP) and how secondary mathematics teachers use the CRP framework to teach students with diverse backgrounds. This session will elaborate on what CRP is and why it is necessary in mathematics classrooms. Specific examples and tools for introducing culturally relevant teaching into mathematics classrooms using the standards of mathematical practice will be discussed.
