Presentation by: Sean Chorney, Latika Raisinghani
Session: E | Time: 11:05AM – 11:45AM | Location: Room 200
In this interactive session, members of Math4 social justice group will sharing social justice projects that they are implementing in their secondary mathematics classrooms. We discuss the various critical approaches to teaching mathematics that shifts away from computation and valuing correct answers to a more inclusive, equitable practices that adopts a broader sense of mathematical understanding. We show how the investigation of social concerns using a mathematical lens not only do students become familiar with social justice issues but also develop a mathematical awareness and develop critical thinking skills. One example we will present includes the presentation of an action research project that focuses on changing our mathematics curriculum so that we are teaching thematically – all of our examples are on the theme of water. The final project for the unit will involve using math (specifically area, volume, ratio, %, and line graphs) to make a prediction about when Cape Town will run out of water. Two other projects we present include payday loans and gerrymandering.
We will invite audiences to participate in investigating certain activities where certain mathematical practices have contributed in perpetuating social injustices by projecting social realities in certain ways.
Some of the questions we ask ourselves and the participants are:
How are social inequities maintained in mathematics? How might teaching mathematics for social justice interrogate and examine certain popular social practices that continue to perpetuate social inequities? How can teaching social justice in mathematics classrooms can empower students in not only reading the world but also writing the world they live in?
Abstract: 603