Math phobia: Let’s begin by reiterating one of my favorite phrases as a math teacher, “Everyone’s a math person.” Individuals who appreciate puzzles, sports, video games, and problem-solving can’t genuinely harbor a dislike for math. What breeds disdain is the culture surrounding math which creates such distress that many prefer to avoid it altogether. Renowned […]
mathematics
Posted inInterviews
Voices from the 2%
An Interview with Black Male Math Teacher Jason Lee Morgan Have you signed up for The Educator’s Room Daily Newsletter? Click here and support independent journalism! Nationally, only two percent of America’s teachers are Black men. Veteran Philadelphia Educator and Director Shariff El-Mekkii established the Center for Black Educator Development to “dramatically change the face […]
Posted inInstruction & Curriculum
The Role of History in Understanding Black Experiences in Mathematics Education
“It seems to me that whenever we start[ed] succeeding, they start[ed] canceling the programs. When we succeed, the powers that be…they don’t want us to succeed.” retired Atlanta Black mathematics teacher, 2018 Authors: Jenice L. View, Toya J. Frank, Jay Bradley, and Marvin Powell In our previous article, we introduce the Trajectories study, our project […]
Posted inInstruction & Curriculum
Why Race? Why Mathematics? Listening and Learning with Black Mathematics Teachers
Authors: Toya Jones Frank, Jenice View, Marvin Powell, and Jay Bradley. “I’m a math teacher,” but [administrators and other teachers] don’t look at me as a math teacher because of who I am… [S]o that speaks volumes about what the rest of the country must think as well. (Asa, middle school mathematics teacher) This quote […]
Posted inInstruction & Curriculum
Best Websites for K-5 Math Virtual Education
With the current state of affairs, learning has been moved online. Teachers and parents are having to homeschool and supplement their children’s instruction. Let’s not forget the importance of math in the process! Here some of the best websites from my experience for math instruction: Khan Academy: This is an exceptional site for learning various […]
Posted inBack to School
Digging Into Learning: Using Archaeology in the Classroom
There are some subjects that fascinate us. Archaeology is one such subject. Archaeology can take us to Egypt and the tombs of the Pharaohs, or unravel the mysteries in our own backyards. Many people go through an archaeology phase, though few become archaeologists. Plus, everyone likes digging in the dirt. The Society for American Archaeology […]
Posted inInstructional Strategies
The New Teacher Chronicles: The Benefits of Cross-Curricular Education
With the school year beginning to wind down, I’ve been thinking of new ways to improve and update my curriculum for next year. What are some things that worked really well, and what are some things that I want to update? This got me thinking of ways to make my lessons even more hands-on and […]
Posted inInstruction & Curriculum
Reinforcing Literacy Skills in Mathematics
I work primarily with students who struggle with mathematics. My students are awesome kids and I would estimate that about 98% of the time, their struggles have little to do with their computation abilities, and more to do with solving word problems and the critical thinking that accompanies them. When I give my students a […]