Mid-Course Reflections

Responses to the prompt: What are your ideas about what Critical Pedagogy looks like for Mathematics Education?

Dawn Anderson--Mathematics Education

Beth Crook--Middle School Education

Kursat Erbas--Mathematics Education

Amy Hackenberg--Mathematics Education

What does CP look like for math education?

(1) CP in math ed is concerned with exploring questions about the nature of mathematics, the nature of mathematical knowing and learning, and the reasons for teaching and learning mathematics (Why Teach Mathematics?)

(2) a math teacher who is a critical pedagogue is also deeply concerned with knowing her students individually; valuing their lives, experiences, and contexts; and orchestrating experiences so that they see opportunities and possibilities for change.

(3) CP in math ed is concerned with questioning assumptions continually--assumptions about mathematics, mathematics teaching and learning, mathematics in relationship to society, and mathematics in relationship to the knower/learner.

(4) Above all, a CP in math ed strives to teach for liberation--emancipatory mathematics education. I just don't know exactly what that is yet.

Bob Ives--Special Education

Critical Pedagogy (w.r.t. teaching mathematics) is . . . taking advantage of the uniqueness of each individual to support their efforts to construct an understanding and valuing of mathematics and their own mathematical skills.

Brian Lawler--Mathematics Education

Denise Mewborn--Mathematics Education

Eduarda Moura--Mathematics Education

Critical Pedagogy implications for mathematics education goes through several dimensions of the teaching and learning of mathematics. They imply that the context to teach Ð in this case mathematics Ð is not neutral and consequently its teaching cannot be apolitical. Mathematics is a sieve into a place at the sun and real life and consequently one must be sure that it is not being taught to preserve the present order of society. Mathematics must then be the tool of liberation for each individual and for its individual liberation.

Charles Roberts--Mathematics

I list what I believe are three (of many) features of Math Education as practiced from the perspective of Critical Pedagogy:

1. Students have the opportunity to formulate and/or construct their own understanding of the fundamental principles, concepts, and ideas in mathematics for themselves.

2. Teachers never teach from the standpoint that there is "one right way" to do problems.

3. Students' cultural background is ALWAYS strongly considered, and appropriate curriculum and instruction are organized to include it in the educational process.

David Stinson--Mathematics Education

The teaching of mathematics from a critical pedagogical perspective should enable the student to empower himself or herself to use mathematics in order that they may better understand their social worlds and the structures acting within their social worldÑeither positively or negatively toward an individual.

Nancy Williams--Mathematics Education