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

First Edition

With contributions from over 30 educators



April 2020 | 328 pages | Corwin

Empower students to be the change—join the teaching mathematics for social justice movement!

We live in an era in which students have —through various media and their lived experiences— a more visceral experience of social, economic, and environmental injustices. However, when people think of social justice, mathematics is rarely the first thing that comes to mind. Through model lessons developed by over 30 diverse contributors, this book brings seemingly abstract high school mathematics content to life by connecting it to the issues students see and want to change in the world.

Along with expert guidance from the lead authors, the lessons in this book explain how to teach mathematics for self- and community-empowerment. It walks teachers step-by-step through the process of using mathematics—across all high school content domains—as a tool to explore, understand, and respond to issues of social injustice including: environmental injustice; wealth inequality; food insecurity; and gender, LGBTQ, and racial discrimination. This book features:

  • Content cross-referenced by mathematical concept and social issues
  • Downloadable instructional materials for student use
  • User-friendly and logical interior design for daily use
  • Guidance for designing and implementing social justice lessons driven by your own students’ unique passions and challenges

Timelier than ever, teaching mathematics through the lens of social justice will connect content to students’ daily lives, fortify their mathematical understanding, and expose them to issues that will make them responsive citizens and leaders in the future.

 
Preface by NCTM Past-President Robert Berry and NCSM Past-President John Staley
 
Introduction
 
Part I
 
Chapter 1 Why is Social Justice and Why Does it Matter in Teaching Mathematics
 
What Do We Mean by Social Justice?
 
What is Teaching Mathematics for Social Justice
 
Why Social Justice in Mathematics Education
 
Reflection and Action
 
Chapter 2 Getting Ready for Classroom
 
Context Matters
 
Context Matters
 
When Matters
 
How Matters
 
Chapter 3 Instructional Tools for the Social Justice Mathematics Lesson
 
Establishing Goals
 
Assessign Purposefully
 
Teaching Equitably
 
Managing Discourse
 
Conclusion
 
Reflection and Action
 
Chapter 4 Teaching the Social Justice Mathematics Lesson
 
Social Justice Mathematics Framework
 
Planning to Implement SJML
 
Last Words Before You Go Teach
 
Conclusion
 
Reflection and action
 
Part II
 
Chapter 5 Number and Quantity
 
5.1 The Mathematics of Transformation Resistance by Mary Candance
 
5.2 Do Just Some Students Take Honors Course? By Basil Conway
 
5.3 LISTEN to GLSEN by Bryan Meyer and John W. Staley
 
5.4 Estimated Wealthy Distribution in USA and the World by Enrique Ortiz
 
Chapter 6 Algebra and Functions
 
6.1 Children at the Border: Looking at the Numbers by Samantha Fletcher and Holly Anthony
 
6.2 Climate Change in Alaska by Basil Conway IV
 
6.3 Culturally Relevant Income Inequality by Andrew Reardon
 
6.4 Intersectionality and The Wage Gap by Stacy Jones, Carlos Gomez, HIlary Tanck, and Eric Siy
 
6.5 Literacy: What matters and why? By Frances Harper and Stephanie Orr
 
6.6 What's a Fair Living Wage? By Frances Harper
 
6.7 What's the Cost of Glbalization? By Allyson Hallman-Thrasher and Rachel Eriksen Brown
 
Chapter 7 Statistics and Probability
 
7.1 A False Positive by Bryan Meyer
 
7.2 Are you a Citizen? 2020 Census by Travis Weiland and Lisa Poling
 
7.3 "BBQ, Becky," Policing, and racial Justice by Mary Raygoza
 
7.4 Do Postal Codes Predict Test Scores? by Allyson Lam
 
7.5 Humanizing the Immigration Debate by Aysenur Ozturk and Steve Lewis
 
7.6 Prison Population by Cristina Tyris
 
7.7 Sampling Disaster by Ginny Powell and America Powell
 
Chapter 8 Geometry
 
8.1 Bringing Healthy Food Choices to Desert by Shakiyya Bland
 
8.2 Gerrymandering by Sven A. Carlsson
 
8.3 Making Mathematical Sense of Food Justice by Jessica Davidson, Dr. Steven Greenstein, Debasmita Bas, and Julia Davidson
 
8.4 Paralympics by Eric Siy, Stacy R. Jones, Carlos, Nicholas Gomez, and HIlary Tanck
 
Part III
 
Chatper 9 Voices from the Field
 
Success Implementing SJMLs
 
Planning for and Responding to Challenges
 
Additional Advice to Colleagues Implementing SJMLs
 
Conclusion
 
Closing Thoughts from Our Contributors
 
Chapter 10 Creating Social Justice Mathematics Lessons for your Own Classroom
 
Setting a Framework for an Effective SJML
 
Getting Started
 
Final Words
 
Appendix A Recommended readings & resources
 
Appendix B Resources names in lessons
 
Appendix C Mathematical Essential Concepts
 
Appendix D Social Justice Standards & Topics
 
Appendix E Lessons by Math Content, Social Justice Outcomes, and Social Justice Topics
 
Appendix F SJML Planner

I did not receive the digital copy yet

Lena Lindenskov
lenali@edu.au.dk

Professor Lena Lindenskov
Danish School of Education, Aarhus University
January 8, 2021

Robert Q. Berry III

Robert Q. Berry III is the Dean of the College of Education at the University of Arizona and the Paul L. Lindsey & Kathy J. Alexander Chair. Berry served as President of the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM), 2018–2020. He holds a B.S. in middle grades education from Old Dominion University, a M.A.T. in mathematics education from Christopher Newport University, and a Ph.D. in mathematics education from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He taught in public schools and served as a mathematics specialist.Robert has collaborated with teachers, leaders, parents, and community members across the United... More About Author

Basil Manley Conway IV

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 PhD. 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... More About Author

Brian R. Lawler

Brian R. Lawler is currently an Associate Professor for Mathematics Education in the Bagwell College of Education at Kennesaw State University and serves as coordinator for the secondary mathematics teacher certification programs. He earned his doctorate in Mathematics Education at The University of Georgia. He received his B.S. in Mathematics from Colorado State University, M.A. in Curriculum and Instruction from California State University Dominguez Hills, and M.A. in Mathematics from The University of Georgia.Previously, Brian taught high school mathematics for 9 years in a variety of settings, including suburban, urban, and urban/rural... More About Author

John W. Staley

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... More About Author

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ISBN: 9781544352596
$37.95