Equity & Social Justice Working Group

Problem Addressed
General Approach
Who We Are
Opportunities for Engagement
Resources

Problem Addressed

The MTE-Partnership Guiding Principles identify several indicators of the shared vision for the preparation and support of secondary mathematics teachers that are grounded in issues of equity and social justice. The Equity & Social Justice Working Group (ESJWG) responds to the challenges of those indicators, advising the MTE-Partnership community.

These challenges are not only directly related to preservice secondary mathematics teachers, but also mathematics teacher educators as well as program structures, policy, and partnerships.

General Approach

ESJWG aims to improve preservice secondary mathematics teachers’ (1) equity-driven sociopolitical dispositions, and (2) knowledge and use of equitable teaching practices over the course of their preparation program. This aim is pursued through work on 6 primary drivers: PST beliefs and identities, PST instructional strategies, educative measures, policies, partners and stakeholders, and interaction with other RACs. The ESJWG’s driver diagram shows these primary drivers, as well as secondary drivers and our initial change ideas.

The work involves a research agenda in response to the first five drivers, while simultaneously working to support other RACs—often in spaces of overlap, but also specifically in response to equity and justice challenges of their work. Examples of our current work include, organized by change idea:

• Alignment
  • Partnering with nearby university to recruit African American students to teacher preparation program
• Instructional Resources
  • Developing in preservice secondary mathematics teachers the potential to notice and implement equitable instructional practices Understanding what preservice secondary mathematics teachers notice to be students’ mathematical strengths
  • Understanding what preservice secondary mathematics teachers notice to be students’ mathematical strengths
• Measures
  • Use of the EQUIP classroom observation tool to assess preservice secondary mathematics teachers use of equitable teaching practices
  • Use of the Multicultural Mathematics Disposition (MCMD; White et al., 2012) to assess preservice mathematics teachers dispositions to teach diverse student populations.
• Critical Conversations
  • Development of a RAC Liaison structure
  • A project to provide a shared set of definitions for equity, diversity, and social justice within the MTE-Partnership community Strategies to engage both teacher candidates and cooperating teachers in discussions of productive and unproductive beliefs related to equity
  • Strategies to engage both teacher candidates and cooperating teachers in discussions of productive and unproductive beliefs related to equity

Who We Are

• Appalachian State University: Travis Weiland
• Auburn University: Marilyn E. Strutchens, W. Gary Martin
• Black Hills State University: Jami Stone
• California State University Chancellor’s Office: Fred Uy
• California State University Chico: Christine Herrera
• California State University East Bay: Julie McNamara
• California State University Fullerton: Patrice Waller
• Columbus State University: Basil Conway IV
• Iowa Department of Education: April Pforts
• Florida International University: Charity Watson
• Kennesaw State University: *Brian R. Lawler, Belinda Edwards
• Lincoln Public Schools: Josh Males
• Middle Tennessee State University: Jeremy Strayer and Ryan (Seth) Jones
• North Carolina State University: Cyndi Edgington
• University of Arizona: Cynthia Anhalt
• University of Central Florida: Farshid Safi
• University of Colorado: Nancy Kress
• University of Nebraska Lincoln: Lorraine Males
• University of South Florida: Ruthmae Sears, Keisha Albritton

*Working Group Leader

For More Information

Contact Brian R. Lawler

Opportunities for Engagement

Several opportunities for engagement are offered:

• MTE-Partnership teams are encouraged to have a member participate in the ESJWG
• MTE-Partnership RACs are encouraged to have a member participate in the ESJWG
• Note that there are two structures for participation, active member or liaison.

Resources

Resources for Getting Started

Aguirre, J., Herbel-Eisenmann, B., Celedón-Pattichis, S., Civil, M., Wilkerson, T., Stephan, M., Pape, S. & Clements, D. H. (2017). Equity within mathematics education research as a political act: Moving from choice to intentional collective professional responsibility. Journal for Research in Mathematics Education, 48, 124–147. https://doi.org/10.5951/jresematheduc.48.2.0124

Aguirre, J., Mayfield-Ingram, K., & Martin, D. B. (2013). The impact of identity in K–8 mathematics: Rethinking equity-based practices. National Council of Teachers of Mathematics.

Atweh, B., Graven, M., Secada, W., & Valero, P. (Eds.). (2011). Mapping equity and quality in mathematics education. Springer.
Dyches, J. & Boyd, A. (2017). Foregrounding equity in teacher education: Toward a model of social justice pedagogical and content knowledge. Journal of Teacher Education, 86, 476–490.

Horn, I. S. (2007). Fast kids, slow kids, lazy kids: Framing the mismatch problem in mathematics teachers’ conversations. Journal of the Learning Sciences, 16, 37–79. https://doi.org/10.1080/10508400709336942

Langer-Osuna, J. & Esmonde, I. (2017). Insights and advances on research on identity in mathematics education. In Cai, J. (Ed.). First Compendium for Research in Mathematics Education (pp. 637–648). National Council of Teachers of Mathematics.

Rodriguez, A. J., & Kitchen, R. S. (2005). Preparing mathematics and science teachers for diverse classrooms: Promising strategies for transformative pedagogy. Erlbaum.

Publications

• 2016 Proceedings
• Pre-Session on Equity and Social Justice
• 2017 Proceedings
• Equity & Social Justice Working Group Report
• Research Report Mathematical Autobiography as a Window into Sociopolitical Teacher Identity
• Equity Panel
• Equity Panel: Addressing Equity within the Clinical Research Action Cluster: Establishing a Common Lens through which to Examine Mathematics Lessons
• Equity Panel: Matt Voigt
• Equity Panel: Maria Fernandez
• Equity Panel: STRIDES
• Equity Panel: Nicole M. Joseph
• Nicole Joseph, Closing Remarks The Promises of Deconstructing and Disrupting for Critical Transformations
• 2018 Proceedings
• Equity & Social Justice Working Group Report
• Opening Address
• Equity in Program Transformation Part 1
• Exploring the AMTE Standards: Social Contexts of Mathematics Teaching and Learning and NCTM’s Catalyzing Change in High School Mathematics (Equity in Program Transformation Part 2)
• Joint Q&A: Equity in Program Transformation
• Panel Talk Equity & Social Justice Working Group
• Research Report Learning Assistants’ Conceptualizations of Equitable Access in Active Learning Mathematics Contexts
• Research Report Examining Prospective Mathematics Teachers’ Reactions to Definitions of Diversity, Equity, & Social Justice
• 2019 Proceedings
• Equity & Social Justice Working Group Report
• Research Report Sharing and Building Resources to Equip and Empower Mathematics Teacher Educators
• Research Report: Developing a Framework for Equitable Mathematics Instruction
• AMTE Professional Book Series: The Mathematics Teacher Education Partnership: The Power of a Networked Improvement Community to Transform Secondary Mathematics Teacher Preparation
• Chapter: Equity and Justice in the Preparation of Secondary Mathematics Teachers