Poetry and Empathy in College Algebra: A Nonviolent Pedagogy

• In Event: AERA Graduate Student Research-in-Progress Roundtable Session 2
  In Roundtable Session: Motivation, Empathy, and Efficiency in Math and Science Education (Table 2)

Abstract

STEM is a field that is often focused on technical aspects and tends to disregard empathy and compassion (Walther, Miller, & Sochacka, 2017). However, by incorporating social empathy and compassion into mathematics education, students can gain a better understanding that knowledge is constructed within sociocultural contexts (Gunckel & Tolbert, 2018). One pedagogical approach that aims to achieve this is by engaging students in poetry writing as a stepping stone to cultivate problem-solving skills using mathematical modeling (e.g., Berry & Davies, 1996; Galbraith, 2015). This approach also encourages critical self-reflection on social justice issues, which is crucial for resolving problems in STEM fields within broader societal contexts.

Author

• Jialu Fan, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities