Exploring Student Voice in a High School Mathematics Classroom: Racial Positioning

• In Event: 68.060 - Roundtable Session 29
  In Roundtable Session: 68.060-15 - Diverse Perspectives on Teachers and Teaching

Abstract

This paper highlights findings from a one-year investigation on student contribution in an Integrated Mathematics 1 classroom in a racially and economically diverse community. I was the researcher-teacher in this action research study because I needed to utilize student responses and interactions to facilitate activities that built upon students’ cultural assets (Delpit, 2012). One pattern that emerged was the presence of racial comments made by students of color. Specific examples from daily field notes are presented to illustrate the value of using students’ racial identities to connect them to the required curriculum. These comments are important for educators to pay attention to because students’ identities determine how they choose to engage with the curriculum (Kohl, 1991).

Author

• Rachel Marie Restani, University of California