Oral Histories of Black Mathematics Teachers: The Arc of Resistance Against the Intractability of Racism

• In Event: The Power of Black Teachers and the Public Good: Histories of Resistance, Agency, and Activism

Abstract

Objectives
The mixed-methods, oral history project examines problems with retention of Black mathematics teachers from a historical perspective. This paper draws the arc of resistance-to-racism from oral histories of pre-desegregation-era instruction, to national survey and focus group responses from contemporary teachers. The research intends to leverage the epistemological wealth and history of Black mathematics teachers (e.g., Author, 2013, 2018, 2019a; Chazan, Brantlinger, Clark, & Edwards, 2013; Redding, 2019; Williams, 2019) to improve the contemporary experiences and retention through improved professional development and policies.

Theoretical framework
This paper draws on racial realism and counternarrative from Critical Race Theory (Bell, 2005). Black mathematics teachers have historically endured and continue to face intractable racism (e.g., Kohli, 2018), particularly in a purportedly race-neutral discipline (e.g., Martin, 2009; Battey, Levya, Williams, Belizario, Greco, & Shah, 2018). To counter the racial realism in mathematics education, the paper examines historical evidence of teacher resistance (counternarratives) using pedagogies focused on mathematics teaching excellence particularly for Black children, such as culturally relevant teaching (Irvine, 1989; Ladson-Billings, 2009) and African American pedagogical excellence (Acosta, Foster, & Houchen, 2018; Siddle-Walker, 2001).

Methods
In-depth oral histories, digital video recording, as well as document and artifact analysis were the qualitative data collection methods used (Llewellyn & Ng-A-Fook, 2017; Patton, 2002). Recruitment of contemporary teachers for the national survey and focus groups occurred through professional organizations of mathematics teachers, Black teacher networks, social media, and snowball sampling through teacher education colleagues.

Data sources
The 13 oral history participants taught primarily in Atlanta, Washington, DC, Maryland and Virginia schools between the 1950s and the 2000s, averaging 40 years of teaching. Focus group participants from the same locations have been teaching for five or more years.

The average respondent to the national survey (n=500+) was female (53%), with a mean age of 34.9 years, and has taught in traditional public, public charter, and public magnet schools (94.5%) in elementary, middle, and high school.

The survey data used factor analysis and item response theory to create a scale measuring teachers’ racialized experiences (see Author, 2019b). Qualitative data analysis involved iteratively coding written transcripts (e.g., Solórzano & Yosso, 2002) and using qualitative data analysis software.

Results
Black mathematics teachers, both historically and contemporarily, increase student achievement, use specific and unique pedagogies, and support one another through their professional development groups (e.g., Mosely, 2018). Evidence supports the conclusion that despite the professional experiences of racism, Black mathematics teachers – historically and now -- have resisted via excellence in content, pedagogy, and relationship building. Further, they use shared cultural referents with Black students as tools for deep mathematical learning.

Significance
Our data point to Black teachers of mathematics arc of resistance-to-racism, their overcoming institutional racism and microaggressions in a field that is inherently white institutional space (Joseph, Hayes, & Cobb, 2015; Martin, 2015). Our novel approach of using oral history with Black mathematics teachers puts into historical context any contemporary effort to recruit and retain Black mathematics teachers with the resilience and readiness to meet 21st century needs (Battey et al., 2018).

Authors

• Jenice Leilani View, George Mason University

• Toya Jones Frank, George Mason University

• Asia Williams, George Mason University

• Marvin Powell, George Mason University

• Jay Bradley, George Mason University

• Christina Lee, George Mason University