Article
Rethinking the Knowledge Needed to Teach Mathematics
ID # 3723
On October 3rd, 2011 I attended Rochelle Gutiérrezs presentation Cultivando Nepantler@s: Rethinking the Knowledge Needed to Teach Mathematics. Gutiérrez is a Professor at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, and her presentation dealt with common setbacks found in teaching mathematics to minorities and how to resolve those issues.
Her introduction focuses on how most of us treat mathematics as if it possesses some sort of indeterminate power over us. We are intimidated by it, and we automatically jump to the assumption that a person is smart if he or she enjoys math and when this perception infiltrates the classroom, it can create problems.
Gutierrez then goes on to describe the Spanish term Conocimiento which refers to empathy, or a connection with others. She expounds on the necessity of seeing multiple realities, for all students come from unique cultural backgrounds and require different educational needs. One of the most striking parts of the presentation, in my opinion, is the part about the achievement gap, which Gutierrez blames not on the students efficacy, but the way in which educational systems are organized and the cultural conflicts that arise as a result. She urges us to try and see through the myth of the achievement gap and eradicate the inferiority of blacks and Latinos when it comes to percentiles.
She argues that mathematics courses ought to incorporate more interpersonal components, such as group projects, discussions, and community-based assignments. Unfortunately, many administrators believe this idea is silly; in their minds, math is all about symbols and numbers. This is why there is a pressing need for political conocimiento in teaching math. When it comes to math, it is all about the individual, never the community; and this is reflective of the alienation produced in mathematics classrooms.
All of the above pertain to the reason why teachers need to be trained to perceive multiple realities so they can overcome the social or cultural boundaries that exist in education. And I feel like this is exactly what Intercultural Education in K-12 Classrooms is all about! Throughout the semester we have been examining ways in which intercultural education can help resolve conflicts in the classroom. As Gutierrezs presentation shows it is very much a real problem, one that needs both addressing and reform.