A Narrative Study of a CHamoru Math Teacher’s Experience with Culturally Relevant Data Science

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session Saturday 11:45 am - Gold 2
  In Roundtable Session: Exploring issues of justice and identity in the mathematics classroom

Abstract

This narrative inquiry explores the experiences of Ana (pseudonym), a veteran CHamoru mathematics teacher in Saipan, as she co-developed and implemented culturally relevant data science lessons using local sociopolitical data. Through monthly design sessions and classroom implementation, Ana collaborated with the researcher and local CHamoru political scientists to adapt open-access curriculum units that centered issues such as language loss and environmental change. Data sources included interviews, reflections, curriculum artifacts, and analytic memos. Findings reveal how Ana’s engagement with culturally grounded data science fostered shifts in her pedagogical practice and sociopolitical consciousness. Her story illustrates how teacher learning is shaped by identity, place, and community partnerships, offering insights into how mathematics education can support cultural relevance and justice.

Author

• Richard Carlos L. Velasco, University of Florida