Mathematics : The Necessity Of Math

Contemporary education reforms study on the continuous black-white achievement gap in the public schools, in America. In the book, “Multiplication is meant for White People”: Raising Expectations for Other people’s Children, Lisa Delpit focuses on these reforms and informs educators that education gap does not exist at birth.. Through her experience in the field and as a mother, she gives strategies for raising the expectations of minority or underperforming children especially the blacks. The book has many references of elementary to university success stories of mentioned practitioners.

This paper will demonstrate the pre-service teachers’ understanding of mathematical practices as part of the Common Core State Standards in Mathematics. It will address two specific standards for Mathematical Practices, describing the essence of both and providing a description of how teachers facilitate these practices and how students are engaged in the practices.

When the practitioners are planning, they can also ensure that they involve all children no matter what the mathematical ability to allow group learning and supporting one another which Vygotsky (Richard Culatta, 2015) says is how children learn best. Practitioners should plan for an enabling environment that promotes maths by surrounding the children in mathematical concepts and language, to support emergent maths. Practitioners should praise children. Practitioners should support all children’s development to ensure children and school ready and they are developing their emergent

Although explicitly, none of these relate to Indigenous education, the outcomes are able to be adapted to incorporate Indigenous learning, through appropriate pedagogy changes. MA4-2WM, explores the “Appropriate mathematical techniques” and this can relate to several mechanisms Indigenous students are able to learn when engaging with the 8 ways of learning, through the deconstruction and reconstruction of knowledge to the symbols and images represented through mathematics (Yunkaporta and Kirby, 2011). MA4-12MG is primarily focused on the calculations of shapes and figures and can link to the symbolism aspect of learning, when we implement an Aboriginal point-of-view to the lesson (Yunkaporta and Kirby, 2011). MA4-13MG is primarily exploring the formulae and conversions, applying an Indigenous perspective to this area of focus can allow for learning through storytelling, land-links, nonverbal symbolisms and communal links (Yunkaporta and Kirby, 2011) . Thus, the appropriateness of the task provided by the UoW can be further adapted to meet aboriginal students’ perspectives. Perceiving the notion of the Indigenous sense of identity, the lesson on visual and numerical aspects of the mathematical applications can be applied through the “interconnectedness of Country and Place, people and Culture”. Imperatively, the aspects of mathematics are

Currently, general education classrooms have increasingly become diverse with both disable students and students from different linguistic and cultural backgrounds. In order for educators to ensure that they effectively teach these classrooms, meet the needs of each student both successfully and individually, effective research that is based on strategies need to be implemented. The U.S. Department of Education suggest that, the current school-age population is becoming more diverse as time passes, yet, majority of the teachers in these schools are white non-Hispanic women. According to another report by The Condition of Education in 2006, American schools are portraying increased diversity and growth. The report suggested that, forty two percent of students in public schools were ethnic or racial minorities in the year 2003; this increased from twenty two percent since 1972. Owing to these reasons, teachers in these schools are expected to educate a diversified class of students including those that come from diverse linguistic and cultural backgrounds. Teachers are therefore, required to implement a number of key strategies that will ensure that every student in specific classroom feels that he or she belongs there (Worrell, 2010).

Along with parent involvement, I am also a very strong believer in the inclusion program. Teaching acceptance at a young age is much easier than trying to do it when the child is older and being influenced by the many factors of life today. It is my belief, that the best way to teach acceptance of others, is to integrate children with other children of different cultural, racial, financial, and developmental backgrounds. At this age, children can teach each other just as much as, if not more than we can teach them about life issues. In some aspects, teachers need merely be there for assistance.

Growing up in Washington D.C. in an area with high poverty, STI and HIV rates, and low high school graduation rates, I was afforded an opportunity to attend a prestigious private school in Northern Virginia. While I was grateful to be able to receive a wonderful education in a safe environment, I always understood that many of my peers in the Black community did not have this privilege. Particularly, supportive faculty members encouraged me to pursue an accelerated math track so that I would be prepared when I pursued a STEM career. As I reached a high math level AP Calculus BC, I was one of five girls and the only black student in this course. I realized that as I pursued a career that requires high level math and science, due to educational disparities, my classroom’s racial and gender demographic will become my norm. Initially, I did not view this fact as a potential source of motivation to help bridge this gap. Instead, this observation led to loneliness, insecurity, and depression because no one else in the classroom innately related to me, not just in this math course, but for over 14 years in one school, the loneliness can become psychologically damaging. Yet, this damage was the cost of a invaluable education and the juxtaposition of emotional suffering and academic preparation allowed me to graduate top 10 in my graduating class in college.

Among the students who continue to struggle are many minority students who show a deficit in math and science readiness. This deficit is apparent in nearly every state in the United States. Blank, Manise, Brathwaite & Langesen (1999), indicate that an examination of performance in all states reveals a point difference of 30 to 50 percentage points between white students and the minority students’ scores on the 8th grade NAEP exam.

As an instructor myself, I learned that I must allow them to feel like they are being heard. Whether it be through proper assessment or verbal discussion, foster a feeling of inclusiveness through communication is key to helping everyone become engaged in the material that they are

Rivera-Batiz (1992) stated, “Mathematical achievement of individuals strongly predicts their success later in life.” Watson & Gable (2012) mention that basic academic skill are fundamental to long-term academic success and, on a post-secondary level obtaining employment in a highly competitive job market.” National Longitudinal Transition Study-2 (NLTS-2); ( Newman, et al., 2011) stated that more than three quarters of youth with disabilities test below the mean. Far less information is attainable on mathematics than reading instruction (Gregoire’ & Desoete, 2009). The same report mentioned that 45% of students with disabilities compared to 25% of their typical peers complete a below standard curriculum. What makes mathematics a strong

Most students in my algebra II class, in high school, disliked math substantially. Math was only required to be taken for two years and if you were going to attend college, Algebra II was a requirement. When their two years were up, I could say that about half the students did not continue math. Many students in my Pre-Cal class always had a thing about asking the teacher when they were ever going to solve a problem like that in the “real world”. I noticed that the ones who had lower standards for example, they were set on going to the junior college or going straight to working, did not continue math after two years in high school. The students who were set on going to a four year university continued on with math. The students with lower standards did not care to go above and beyond. This had me thinking. If some students felt that math was useless in the “real world”, why are we required to take it? In my opinion I feel that students should be required to take a math class as a GE requirement, but it should be math that is applied to the “real world”. Those who need math in their career can continue their math studies even further.

Diversity and Inclusion: I will approach diversity by embracing and being open to learning about other people and their families. I would make sure everyone is included and make sure students are respectful and open to diversity. I will adapt instructions if needed to meet the needs of a class or an individual student. I would adapt a lesson for an individual student if that student is struggling or needs extra help to make sure everyone is learning effectively.

The Special Issue in Teachers College Record was comprised of five papers that examined how well respected African American mathematics teachers in urban settings influence the development of students’ mathematics identity. While the podcast interview briefly discussed all the articles that comprised the Special Issue, particular focus was given to Clark’s case studies, which focused on the racialized experiences of two African American mathematics teachers.

In today’s society mathematics is a vital part of day-to-day life. No matter what a person is doing at home or at the workplace, he/she is constantly using different mathematics skills to simply function. Then what does this mean for mathematics education? When someone needs to utilize a skill every day then he/she needs a strong background in the skill. Therefore, today’s students need more than a just a working knowledge of mathematics or enough knowledge to pass a test. Today’s students need to understand how mathematics works and how to utilize mathematics skills in the best way possible.

Maths is ubiquitous in our lives, but depending on the learning received as a child it could inspire or frighten. If a child has a negative experience in mathematics, that experience has the ability to affect his/her attitude toward mathematics as an adult. Solso (2009) explains that math has the ability to confuse, frighten, and frustrate learners of all ages; Math also has the ability to inspire, encourage and achieve. Almost all daily activities include some form of mathematical procedure, whether people are aware of it or not. Possessing a solid learning foundation for math is vital to ensure a lifelong understanding of math. This essay will discuss why it is crucial to develop in children the ability to tackle problems with initiative and confidence (Anghileri, 2006, p. 2) and why mathematics has changed from careful rehearsal of standard procedures to a focus on mathematical thinking and communication to prepare them for the world of tomorrow (Anghileri).