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Notes from the Field

In this section, VCTM Board Representatives for different groups share their professional secrets, tips, and wisdom with the groups they represent.

Ahmaud Arbery. Breonna Taylor. George Floyd. This past spring, the senseless deaths of these and too many other Black people rocketed racism into the collective consciousness of White people, leav ing us asking ourselves, “ What can we do? ” While some educators have been actively pursuing social justice for years, many White teachers are just now learning about systemic racism and its devastating effect on our Black students, families, and col leagues for the first time. As I see numerous educa tors reading books, listening to podcasts, and watching videos about antiracism, I am hopeful that this new learning will transfer into action that will create lasting change in our educational sys tem. NCTM ’ s new book, Catalyzing Change in Early Childhood and Elementary Mathematics , urges us to “ dismantle inequitable structures, in cluding ability grouping and tracking, and chal lenge spaces of marginality and privilege ” (p. 25). So, what does this look like for teachers in the ele mentary mathematics classroom? Certainly, we need to keep learning and challenging our own bi ases, follow and amplify the voices of Black educa tors on social media, speak up when we see inequi ty around us, and push for the shifts outlined in Catalyzing Change. It ’ s also important that we ad dress the issues of representation and student iden tity in our math curriculum and teaching. In order for students to see themselves as mathematicians, they need to see themselves in the mathematics. Below are three ways elementary teachers can di versify the representation of mathematicians and

mathematics so that students can develop their own positive identity as mathematicians.

Strategy One:

Read mathematical anchor texts with main charac ters who are Black, Indigenous, or People of Color (BIPOC).

We want our students to see that everyone does math, and picture books can serve as a springboard for discussions about identity. Here are a few titles to get you started:

The Girl With a Mind for Math: The Story of Raye Montague, by Julia Finley Mosca

Counting on Catherine: How Catherine Johnson Saved Apollo 13, by Helaine Becker

Sometimes We Do, by Omowale Moses

The Boy Who Dreamed of Infinity: A Tale of the Genius Ramanujan, by Amy Alznauer

Strategy Two:

Invite family and community members to share

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