Trying to Light Spark
Teachers Put Math Into the Real World

By MEREDITH KOLODNER

When a group of city Teachers got together last year to plan a conference on math and social justice, they had no idea it would stir vitriolic criticism from conservative quarters. And they didn't think registration would reach capacity a week before the conference was set to begin.

'MATH EDUCATION UNEQUAL': Math Teacher Kari Kokka is one of a dozen city Teachers who organized a conference on math and social justice that is expected to attract hundreds of Teachers from around the country.

This weekend, hundreds of educators will attend three days of workshops and forums in Brooklyn to discuss how to more effectively teach math to under-served student populations and how to use social justice themes in the classroom. Accused by a New York Post editorial of using "their classrooms to indoctrinate students in left-wing, anti-American ideology," the Teachers say their goal is social equity, not political philosophy, and they plan to form networks out of the conference to spread their ideas nationally.

'Unfair Math Education'

"When you look at the numbers, math education is not fair," said Kari Kokka, one of the conference organizers who has taught math at Vanguard High School for six years. "All students should be receiving the same quality level of math instruction so everyone has the same opportunity."

More than 400 people from 30 states have registered, and organizers note that the achievement gaps by race and income in the city are reflected nationwide. A 2005 study by the National Assessment of Education Progress found that 58 percent of black 8th graders, 48 percent of Latinos and 20 percent of white students scored "below basic" in math. The same study found that 49 percent of 8th graders eligible for a free lunch scored below basic, compared with 21 percent from higher-income brackets.

The educators say that due to the importance of technology in today's world, math education is increasingly important for college acceptance and finding a well-paying job. They see revamping teaching methods as part of the solution to closing the achievement gap.

The conference kicks off at El Puente Community Center and continues the next two days at Long Island University.

Workshop topics include Equity in Assessments: What does it mean to be smart in math?; Other People's Children: Honoring cultural differences and teaching with integrity; and A youth-centered game as a catalyst for math literacy.

Making It Relevant

"Social justice could be the hook to help engage them in math," said Ms. Kokka, "or it could go the other way where they are learning about math and then are becoming more socially aware about the world."

The educators say part of their goal is to encourage critical thinking skills and interest in math by linking the calculation problems to real-life issues.

Using the social equity instructional methods, one Teacher assigned students to research and analyze where and how heavily grocery stores and fast-food restaurants are concentrated by type of community. Another taught scientific notation, a way of indicating enormous numbers, by calculating the cost of the war in Iraq. The students used basic math skills to figure out other ways to spend the money.

"It definitely engages the students," said Maria Mercedes Franco, an Assistant Professor of Mathematics and Computer Science at Queensboro Community College who will be leading a session at the conference. "They can see something that applies to their lives or their community, and they become more passionate about the power of the math."

Analyzing TB Data

This semester Ms. Franco's students are analyzing data from New York University's Center for Immigrant Health about tuberculosis in the immigrant community. The center collected the data, but does not have the staff available to analyze it. So the students are learning statistical analysis by finding the patterns and trends in the data.

"The students are doing service to the community while learning something they were supposed to learn anyways," said Ms. Franco. "It's a project that has a real impact."

Erica Litke, who has taught at East Side Community High School for five years and became involved in organizing the conference last fall, said that she is hoping to find curricular ideas at the conference to make math more accessible to students who don't usually make it into the upper math courses. "Lots of kids are weeded out before they make it to high-level math like pre-calculus," she said. "I'm looking for ideas about how to make it work."

Seek Wider Impact

The conference also has a day devoted to "action groups" which will discuss topics such as girls and math, math teachers of color, standardized testing, and rethinking teaching training programs. The organizers hope to influence national teaching practice and have an impact on the policies of the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, which issues national math standards.

Organizers say they are aware of the criticism that they are bringing politics into the classroom, but say they don't see their mission in ideological terms.

"All educators need to be sure not to impose their ideas onto students," said Ms. Franco. "It's more about creating the space for a discussion. It's not about indoctrination. I think people should come and observe and listen before they react."