Why Be Average When You Could Be Extraordinary: A Case Study

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session 14
  In Roundtable Session: Unveiling Liberatory and Culturally Relevant Pedagogy and Practice

Abstract

It is well documented that the U.S. educational system subjects students from specific racial and economic backgrounds to unequal schooling experiences, particularly in mathematics. In light of the ample research on the detriments of schools comprised primarily of low-income students of color, this study’s purpose is to explore what benefits might exist in these schools. I use case study methods to examine how the racialized environment of mathematics classrooms affect classroom teaching and learning. I examine the mathematics classroom of a highly experienced African American teacher and her African American students. Findings reveal that the teacher intentionally enacted instructional practices to counteract deficit narratives about her students, and her students appreciated her instructional approach.

Author

• Tarik Buli, University of Maryland - College Park