Teaching Mathematics to Students of Color: Perspectives of African American Preservice Teachers

1
Teaching Mathematics to Students of Color
Perspectives of African American Preservice
Teachers

• Dorothy Y. White
• University of Georgia
• 2002 NCTM Research Presession, Las Vegas, NV
• Funded by UGA-COE Summer Faculty Research Grant
  Program

2
Project Rationale

• Minority teachers can provide role models for
  students of color and majority students, and they
  bring a special level of understanding to the
  experiences of students.
• Darling-Hammond Cobb, 1996 Howey Zimpher,
  1996
• Minority teachers bring with them a unique
  perspective on school policy and practice, and
  are more disposed to teach in inner-city schools
  where the need for good teachers is often the
  greatest.
• Darling-Hammond Cobb, 1996 Howey Zimpher,
  1996
• African American teachers view their work from an
  educational and cultural perspective and feel a
  personal responsibility to educate African
  American students because these students are
  often misunderstood and disenfranchised from
  school.
• Foster, 1993, 1994, 1997 Irvine, 1989, 2000

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Rationale Continued

• There is a continuous decline in the number of
  African American students entering the field of
  education.
• African American students enrolled in teacher
  education programs, especially at predominately
  White colleges and universities, are often
  overlooked and assumed to be monolithic in their
  experiences, points of view, and needs.
• Bennett, Cole, Thompson, 1999, p. 1.
• We need a research base that gives voice to
  African American preservice teachers in
  mathematics education. The more we hear and
  understand the different voices of African
  American preservice teachers, the better
  equipped we will become to improve the
  mathematics experiences of African American
  students.
• Moody, 2000, p. 11

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Research Questions

• How do African American preservice teachers
  describe their mathematics education experiences?
• How have the experiences of African-American
  preservice teachers influenced their views about
  teaching and learning mathematics?
• How can the experiences of African-American
  preservice teachers inform teacher education
  programs in mathematics education?

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Participants, Data Sources Analysis

• Five African American students in a Early
  Childhood Education program.
• Data were collected from math autobiographies,
  individual interviews, classroom observations and
  group interviews.
• Qualitative methods of analytic induction

6
Crystal

• Attended all White schools until High School
• Average grades in math
• Originally a music education major
• Wants to teach to make a difference and to be
  with kids long enough to see them change
• All cultures should be explored not just Black
  issues
• Wants to teach in middle to upper middle class
  school or a rural school
• Aware of the disparities among Black and White
  students but feels its more a function of a
  behavior than race.
• Doesnt feel that she knows enough about
  childrens backgrounds and would be harder on
  them because they need to learn the rules of the
  game.

7
Stephanie

• Attended mixed schools and considers herself
  multicultural
• Good grades in math and placed in high group
• Originally a premed major
• Wants to teach to make a difference in a childs
  life by teaching them something rather than by
  healing them.
• Noticed that schools paid little attention to
  cultural diversity, and that in the rural schools
  the personnel were very rude.
• Wants to teach at a middle class racially mixed
  school.

8
Tracy

• Attended various schools and a Magnet High School
• Placed in high level math classes but at a cost
• Wants to teach to make a difference and to help
  children become better people aside from the
  circumstances in their life
• Very aware of disparities and how Black children
  are treated disciplined more harshly not
  recommended for gifted programs
• Wants to teach at a mixed school across race and
  class. Once she gains more confidence would like
  to take on the challenge of inner-city or rural
  schools
• Feels a responsibility to help Black children and
  wants her sons taught by Black teachers

9
Cheryl

• Attended Black schools then bussed to White
  school
• Realized she was tracked into low math classes in
  7th grade
• Previously a Pharmacy major, now wants to teach
  because she enjoys working with kids and wants to
  help them learn
• Noticed the limited attention to Black issues in
  schools and that more Black kids are sent to low
  math and reading groups
• White teachers did not give her the attention she
  deserved
• Wants to teach Black childrenbecause they are
  always given the worse and most inexperienced
  teachers

10
Khadijah

• Attended both all Black then mixed schools
• Placed in high-tracked math classes by request
• Previously an Accounting major now she wants to
  teach because she loves to learn
• Wants to learn from African American teachers and
  requested to be placed during her field
  experiences
• Notices inequalities in school structures Small
  number of Black teachers and large number of
  Black paraprofessionals
• Wants to teach African American children because
  they get the low end of the stick with less money
  in schools, less dedicated teachers and
  administrators

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Discussion

• All attended mixed schools or a combination
• All changed their majors to teaching
• Most aware of limited attention to diversity in
  their schools
• Where they want to teach and how responsible they
  feel to educate African American students varied

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Connections to Previous Research

• Claims about student abilities We need more
  research on how students are placed in different
  math programs by request or by a single test
• Studies of Tracking We need to extend this line
  of research and follow students beyond high
  school
• Studies of SES How much does class issues
  influence African American preservice teachers
  views of African American students.