Social Justice Mathematics: Pedagogy of the Oppressed or Pedagogy of the Privileged?

• In Event: 41.084 - Roundtable Session 16
  In Roundtable Session: 41.084-20 - Freirean Pedagogical Experiences

Abstract

Social Justice Mathematics, or SJM, is a mathematics-specific form of Social Justice Pedagogy (Frankenstein, 1983; Gutiérrez, 2002; Gutstein, 2006; Skovsmose, 1994) that aims to develop students’ mathematics understanding while developing their conscientização, or sociopolitical consciousness (Freire, 1970). This comparative case study focuses on how students and teachers relate to and make sense of SJM, investigating how this may be influenced by their experiences with privilege and/or marginalization, which are fluid and context-dependent (Hulko, 2009). This study involves two sixth grade SJM classes – one in a Title I public middle school with predominantly students of historically marginalized backgrounds and the other in an elite private K-8 school with predominantly students of privilege.

Author

• Kari Kokka, University of Pittsburgh