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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!)
For starters you should not remove this content from your lessons. Secondly, your explanation to parents should be that these are real issues that we are facing in the world and it is important for our students to be aware of them to help them become democratic citizens to solve problems within their communities or country. It's great you have support from your principal because that would be a difficult battle to win if he asked you not to teach the materials. You should also ensure that your students have a very open and friendly forum of discussion about these topics. By allowing students to see that they can make an impact on these issues is incredibly important for a democratic society. Your example is something that I have not thought of using and will now begin to implement in my own classrooms. You could possibly allow your students to research their own statistics on what interests them and let them create their own solutions to the problems they find using math! |
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Rating
| The suggested solution is respectful of the individual (student) |
Yes
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| The suggested solution is relevant to the case |
Yes
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| The suggested solution is reasonable (easy) for the teacher to implement |
Yes
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| The suggested solution is likely to solve the problem/issue |
Yes
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| The suggested solution is original |
Yes
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| Comments: |
| Rated On: June 12, 2014 6:13 pm |
| Rated By: wendy burns |
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Rating
| The suggested solution is respectful of the individual (student) |
Yes
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| The suggested solution is relevant to the case |
Yes
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| The suggested solution is reasonable (easy) for the teacher to implement |
Yes
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| The suggested solution is likely to solve the problem/issue |
Yes
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| The suggested solution is original |
Yes
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| Comments: Great solution, I completely agree that this is important information, and it can stop with their generation. |
| Rated On: October 17, 2014 3:16 pm |
| Rated By: Angela Avery |
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Rating
| The suggested solution is respectful of the individual (student) |
Yes
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| The suggested solution is relevant to the case |
Yes
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| The suggested solution is reasonable (easy) for the teacher to implement |
Yes
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| The suggested solution is likely to solve the problem/issue |
Yes
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| The suggested solution is original |
Yes
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| Comments: It is good that you have the principal behind you, otherwise you would be fighting a loosing battle. |
| Rated On: October 19, 2014 4:08 pm |
| Rated By: Sanubu |
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| The suggested solution is respectful of the individual (student) |
Yes
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| The suggested solution is relevant to the case |
Yes
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| The suggested solution is reasonable (easy) for the teacher to implement |
Yes
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| The suggested solution is likely to solve the problem/issue |
Yes
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| The suggested solution is original |
Yes
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| Comments: great ideas. |
| Rated On: February 25, 2015 7:45 pm |
| Rated By: Jen |
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Rating
| The suggested solution is respectful of the individual (student) |
Yes
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| The suggested solution is relevant to the case |
Yes
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| The suggested solution is reasonable (easy) for the teacher to implement |
Yes
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| The suggested solution is likely to solve the problem/issue |
Yes
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| The suggested solution is original |
Yes
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| Comments: I also agree that it needs to be explained to the parents that these are real world issues. I would ask them if they wanted their child to be fully educated or just half way. Your response is on point. |
| Rated On: June 9, 2015 2:59 pm |
| Rated By: TyhyMa |
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| The suggested solution is respectful of the individual (student) |
Yes
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| The suggested solution is relevant to the case |
Yes
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| The suggested solution is reasonable (easy) for the teacher to implement |
Yes
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| The suggested solution is likely to solve the problem/issue |
Yes
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| The suggested solution is original |
Yes
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| Comments: Great way to get students involved by letting them research something of interest to them to graph. Great ideas. I agree and think this is a great solution. |
| Rated On: June 15, 2015 2:36 am |
| Rated By: Melissa Aspinwall |
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Rating
| The suggested solution is respectful of the individual (student) |
Yes
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| The suggested solution is relevant to the case |
Yes
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| The suggested solution is reasonable (easy) for the teacher to implement |
Yes
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| The suggested solution is likely to solve the problem/issue |
Yes
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| The suggested solution is original |
Yes
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| Comments: Great post! |
| Rated On: July 10, 2015 2:29 am |
| Rated By: RaMevy |
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| The suggested solution is respectful of the individual (student) |
Yes
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| The suggested solution is relevant to the case |
Yes
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| The suggested solution is reasonable (easy) for the teacher to implement |
Yes
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| The suggested solution is likely to solve the problem/issue |
Yes
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| The suggested solution is original |
Yes
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| Comments: It provides great details onto why this statement is a great solution to this case. |
| Rated On: October 14, 2016 11:34 pm |
| Rated By: zevuBa |
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Rating
| The suggested solution is respectful of the individual (student) |
Yes
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| The suggested solution is relevant to the case |
Yes
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| The suggested solution is reasonable (easy) for the teacher to implement |
Yes
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| The suggested solution is likely to solve the problem/issue |
Yes
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| The suggested solution is original |
Yes
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| Comments: This solution seems most likely to solve the problem with the parents through the explanation that those statistics are real world problems based on facts and it is important to teach some moral and ethical content to students because the future is in their hands. Having the support of the principal is a blessing and I would continue on with the all lessons that are rich in curriculum and moral content. |
| Rated On: October 15, 2016 12:47 pm |
| Rated By: Nicole McVey |
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| The suggested solution is respectful of the individual (student) |
Yes
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| The suggested solution is relevant to the case |
Yes
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| The suggested solution is reasonable (easy) for the teacher to implement |
Yes
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| The suggested solution is likely to solve the problem/issue |
Yes
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| The suggested solution is original |
Yes
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| Comments: I agree sheilding childen from the real world is not the best. So I agree witht this solution and also believe that it is important to keep this lesson. |
| Rated On: October 17, 2016 1:11 am |
| Rated By: Raven B |
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Rating
| The suggested solution is respectful of the individual (student) |
Yes
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| The suggested solution is relevant to the case |
Yes
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| The suggested solution is reasonable (easy) for the teacher to implement |
Yes
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| The suggested solution is likely to solve the problem/issue |
Yes
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| The suggested solution is original |
Yes
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| Comments: I think that this is a great suggestion. It is important that students are aware that they have the ability to make an impact on these issues as you said. |
| Rated On: March 5, 2017 4:44 pm |
| Rated By: QaHyWe |
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Rating
| The suggested solution is respectful of the individual (student) |
Yes
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| The suggested solution is relevant to the case |
Yes
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| The suggested solution is reasonable (easy) for the teacher to implement |
Yes
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| The suggested solution is likely to solve the problem/issue |
Yes
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| The suggested solution is original |
Yes
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| Comments: Encouraging students to add their own statistics to the lessons is a great way to engage them in the process. |
| Rated On: March 5, 2017 10:07 pm |
| Rated By: atugym |
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Rating
| The suggested solution is respectful of the individual (student) |
Yes
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| The suggested solution is relevant to the case |
Yes
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| The suggested solution is reasonable (easy) for the teacher to implement |
Yes
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| The suggested solution is likely to solve the problem/issue |
Yes
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| The suggested solution is original |
Yes
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| Comments: I think this solution is a great one! |
| Rated On: October 13, 2017 4:04 pm |
| Rated By: Lavede |
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Rating
| The suggested solution is respectful of the individual (student) |
Yes
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| The suggested solution is relevant to the case |
Yes
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| The suggested solution is reasonable (easy) for the teacher to implement |
Yes
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| The suggested solution is likely to solve the problem/issue |
Yes
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| The suggested solution is original |
Yes
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| Comments: I agree, as long at the source is reputable and as unbiased as possible, I do not think you need to remove the content from your lesson |
| Rated On: February 21, 2018 1:51 am |
| Rated By: uDyJeZ |
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Rating
| The suggested solution is respectful of the individual (student) |
Yes
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| The suggested solution is relevant to the case |
Yes
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| The suggested solution is reasonable (easy) for the teacher to implement |
Yes
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| The suggested solution is likely to solve the problem/issue |
Yes
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| The suggested solution is original |
Yes
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Comments: If I were in this situation, I would exactly do this.
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| Rated On: December 4, 2018 1:48 am |
| Rated By: yzysuZ |
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Rating
| The suggested solution is respectful of the individual (student) |
Yes
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| The suggested solution is relevant to the case |
Yes
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| The suggested solution is reasonable (easy) for the teacher to implement |
Yes
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| The suggested solution is likely to solve the problem/issue |
Yes
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| The suggested solution is original |
Yes
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| Comments: I also agree that they should not remove the content from their lesson. This was a very useful comment. |
| Rated On: February 26, 2019 1:58 am |
| Rated By: eBejaP |
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Rating
| The suggested solution is respectful of the individual (student) |
Yes
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| The suggested solution is relevant to the case |
Yes
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| The suggested solution is reasonable (easy) for the teacher to implement |
Yes
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| The suggested solution is likely to solve the problem/issue |
Yes
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| The suggested solution is original |
Yes
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| Comments: I agree with this solution. |
| Rated On: October 9, 2020 8:54 pm |
| Rated By: vaMuvy |
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Rating
| The suggested solution is respectful of the individual (student) |
Yes
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| The suggested solution is relevant to the case |
Yes
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| The suggested solution is reasonable (easy) for the teacher to implement |
Yes
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| The suggested solution is likely to solve the problem/issue |
Yes
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| The suggested solution is original |
Yes
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| Comments: Real world issues should be taught and discussed in schools ! |
| Rated On: October 18, 2020 4:47 am |
| Rated By: edudyp |
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Rating
| The suggested solution is respectful of the individual (student) |
Yes
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| The suggested solution is relevant to the case |
Yes
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| The suggested solution is reasonable (easy) for the teacher to implement |
Yes
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| The suggested solution is likely to solve the problem/issue |
Yes
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| The suggested solution is original |
Yes
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| Comments: Allowing students to create their own solutions can be very beneficial. |
| Rated On: November 10, 2022 2:03 am |
| Rated By: uNaBuT |
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Rating
| The suggested solution is respectful of the individual (student) |
Yes
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| The suggested solution is relevant to the case |
Yes
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| The suggested solution is reasonable (easy) for the teacher to implement |
Yes
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| The suggested solution is likely to solve the problem/issue |
Yes
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| The suggested solution is original |
Yes
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| Comments: If I were in this situation, I would exactly do this |
| Rated On: April 2, 2023 4:41 pm |
| Rated By: uPanaS |
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