In order to improve our teaching to students of diverse backgrounds, we must learn to teach with a more culturally specific pedagogy. Jacqueline Leonard, author of Culturally Specific Pedagogy in the Mathematics Classroom, argues that the wide
achievement gap between white students and students of color is an outcome that
is deeply rooted in the history of our country. It is a result of over two
centuries of separate and unequal, inadequate education provided to students of
color. Unfortunately, research has found that white students and students of
color enter school, from day one, at unequal starting points.
Culturally Specific Pedagogy in the Mathematics Classroom helps readers to clearly dissect what is going
on with students of color, most specifically students of African American
descent. It explores the underlying question of why such an achievement
gap might exist in our society today and what steps we need to take, as
teachers, in order to close this gap. We cannot discover the answer to why such
a wide achievement gap exists today without looking back in history. After slavery was abolished in 1863, public schools were created so
that African American students, too, would be able to receive an education.
While schools were still segregated, it was ruled that “separate but equal”
accommodations were constitutional. The schools for students of color were far
inferior to the schools for white students. They were underfunded, had
inadequate materials, unqualified teachers, poor facilities, and inadequate
curriculum. Even when students of color started to integrate into predominantly
“white schools”, they were treated differently and teachers had low
expectations of them. Because property taxes fund our educational system and
because many of these students live in poverty-stricken areas, they have, for
generations, been trapped in a vicious cycle of inadequate schooling and
underachievement.
In a study, select students of color were interviewed about why an achievement gap exists in our society. Surprisingly, many
of them actually blamed themselves. Key factors they cited were laziness, poor
study habits, and peer pressure (not wanting to be seen as “acting white”).
Parents explained that they, themselves, often did not understand homework
material enough to be of assistance and that they were often too tired to help
their children with homework once home from work. According to Leonard there
are two factors going on here that seem to perpetuate underachievement for
students of color; generational underachievement and institutional barriers to
academic success.
According to Leonard, “In order to
improve achievement and course-taking patterns among students of color in
mathematics, curriculum must be meaningful and relevant to their lives, taught
in interesting and sometimes non-traditional ways, valued in the community and
seen as a means to economic success” (Leonard 165). These students need to
realize that mathematics can be found in many different aspects of African
American life and culture, especially art; sculptures, paintings, prints, and
posters. Going to nail and hair salons to try different nail patterns and hair
styles are very common practices in African American culture. Giving math word
problems that incorporate this type of art, using the prices of products sold
at hair and nail salons, and using math to figure out which styles might last a
longer period of time, are culturally relevant problems that might make math
more intriguing for students of color. Even using the art of nail and hair as a
way to examine patterns could help make math more interesting. In addition,
math problems about distance, time, cost, etc. can be addressed through culturally
relevant unit topics such as the Underground Railroad as well as Sharecropping.
Even introducing role models like the first African American pilot and the
first African American woman in space could help in multiple disciplines, mathematics
in particular. Learning about such role models and creating interesting math
problems that incorporate these figures could very well give young students of
color the confidence they need to pursue careers in fields in which they are so
underrepresented. We, as educators, must start taking action and incorporate culture into our teaching!
