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Case: Math and Social Justice! No No! Recently, I read a report in a national magazine on income levels of different groups of people in the US. The report especially featured income differences between males, females and different ethnic groups. Some of the statistics were very disturbing. For example, women holding the same job as men with same number of years in the job made considerably less money in most of the states. Differences between ethnic groups were even more disturbing. I decided to use these data in my math class with my 5th graders in a lesson on graphing. The purpose was for the students to be able to interpret graphs and create graphs using the information provided. Students enjoyed the lesson and learned some social justice lessons. Apparently a lot of my students talked to their parents about what they had learned in class when they went home. I received notes from about 10 parents the next day simply indicating that what I taught in my math class would lead to hatred among my students and that I should not be wasting their children's valuable time. Rather, they suggested, I should teach math with no controversial materials. I completely disagree with them and I plan to use similar materials in my other courses as well. However, my principals asked me to send an explanation to those parents. I know my explanation will not stop the complaints. How should I go about this potentially long battle? Or should I take the short cut simply remove such content from my lessons? Solution: (Rates are posted for this solution!) By no means would I recommend not doing these tasks. In mathematics, it is extremely important that problems and representations in the context of real world phenomena. Blending mathematics and social justice will allow students to see a realistic use of mathematics and the mathematics will allow students to see the discrepancies in social justice. I would get with the 5th grade guidance counselor and your principal when you write your letter. I think that the teacher needs to include the students will be using all types of real life data to enhance the students experience in all of their classes. The students had a good time completing the assignment and probably went home and the parents potentially took the discussion out of context. The teacher should consider sending home a newsletter with upcoming topics and standards that will be addressed. These newsletters should also include the purpose and relevancy behind the tasks. I believe that as long as the teacher keeps the parents and administration in loop and make sure those topics that are chosen to be with core content is relevant, and age appropriate. |
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