Girl Math- Changing Mindsets and Teaching Strategies to Make Math Instruction Equitable and Accessible for All Learners

Description

Girl Math- Changing Mindsets and Teaching Strategies to Make Math Instruction Equitable and Accessible for All Learners
3 In-service Credits/ 45 hours, Instructor Valerie Hanley, January 3-30, February 1-28,  March 1-30, April 1-30, May 1-30, June 1-30, July 1-30, August 1-30, September 1-30, October 1-30, November 1-30, December 1-30

The term ‘Girl Math’ began on the platform Tik Tok in the summer of 2023, and it has come to be used to describe ways girls and women make math-related decisions. It is meant to be humorous and fun. However, it is also an example of the types of negative views and opinions people have on their ability to understand math concepts. These negative beliefs that some students have about their ability to be successful math students can be very detrimental to students’ self-esteem and math mindsets. So, while the title of this course mentions ‘Girl Math,’ this course is primarily about changing students’ math mindsets and improving student learning outcomes in positive and powerful ways by changing how we teach and talk about math in the classroom through the use of culturally-responsive teaching practices and norms.

Course participants will actively participate in an online learning community to further develop their understanding of how their teaching practices, classroom environment, and personal opinions and attitudes about math influence and shape students’ opinions and learning outcomes and how to develop and use teaching strategies that are inspiring, transformative, effective, and culturally responsive.

Topics of study will include math misconceptions and stereotypes; independent research work; understanding math culture; effective and culturally responsive strategies for teaching math; how to use ‘Girl Math’ in positive ways in the classroom; learning about individuals who have made significant achievements in math or work in math-related fields; how to design special math-based events related to this topic, and other related content areas. Inherent in each session/topic will be opportunities for participants to learn how to prepare lessons/resources that are culturally responsive and respectful of the personal and cultural identities of students.

Class activities will include forum discussions and cooperative work, lesson/activity/event planning, reflection work, independent research work, informational resource and survey design work, and other activities that will allow course participants to have a deeper understanding of this topic through work they do independently, with other course participants, and with colleagues/families/students in their school communities.

This course is appropriate for educators who teach math at any level or those interested in exploring how personal attitudes and teaching practices affect student learning outcomes and students’ attitudes towards learning.