A Necessary POV (Pedagogy of Poverty): Perspectives of Culturally Responsive Mathematics Teaching From Students in Urban Mathematics Classrooms

• In Event: Innovating Equity and Culture in Urban Education

Abstract

Historically, the Pedagogy of Poverty has disenfranchised the connection between mathematics and students' lived experiences. Despite this dehumanization, researchers have suggested culturally relevant pedagogy (CRP) as an equity pedagogy awakening students' cultural capital in the mathematics classroom. This study highlights Black middle school students' perspectives on culturally responsive mathematics teaching (CRMT) in the urban mathematics classroom. Students offered diverse perspectives revealing themes such as (1) confidence and understanding, (2) perspectives on the teacher, (3) classroom engagement, and (4) cultural representation. Ultimately, students reflected on having benefited from CRMT, illustrating its noteworthy influence on the relationship between learning and instruction.

Author

• Kelly K. Ivy, University of the District of Columbia