Are You Talking About Race? Navigating Racial Conversations in Online Mathematics Methods Courses

• In Event: Equity and Criticality in Mathematics Teacher Education

Abstract

Mathematics methods courses must serve as learning spaces for preservice teachers to study pedagogy that recognizes the cultural and racial assets of all students. This study reports on a case specifically designed for use in an online context to encourage preservice teachers to talk about race, including the racial injustice observed in an authentic mathematics classroom situation and how a teacher might respond to the situation. Findings indicate the benefits and tensions experienced by mathematics teacher educators and preservice teachers navigating racial conversations through the lens of the 8S Framework for Race Talk. Recommendations for optimizing the benefits and troubleshooting the tensions are shared so mathematics teacher educators can make preservice teachers’ critical consciousness of racial injustice visible.

Authors

• Monica Lyn Gonzalez, East Carolina University

• Alesia Mickle Moldavan, Georgia Southern University