When my group first started brainstorming about issues of equity and leadership, I was on the margin because the connection between math and disenfranchisement was unclear to me. As more ideas were shared and eventually illuminated, I thought about an passionate math teacher who led a workshop at Virginia State University several years ago. The program was sponsored by the Philosophy department under the banner of Racial Disparities in the Education System. Robert Moses, founder of The Algebra Project, facilitated a series of activities along with some college students that presented culturally relevant approaches to math instruction. He demonstrated ways to integrate rhythm and music into the math curriculum.
My group decided to focus on the retention of highly qualified math teachers as our issue which is directly related to student achievement. Without math teachers who possess solid content knowledge and pedagogical prowess, student achievement suffers. According to Moses, students must successfully complete Algebra I in middle school in order to begin college without mathematical deficiencies. They can take Algebra II or Geometry in ninth grade, the other in tenth (i.e. Geometry or Algebra II), Pre Calculus in eleventh, and Advanced Math in twelfth. The goal is to prepare students to enter college ready to enroll in college level mathematics.
We contend that hiring, training, and retaining highly qualified math teachers is a priority on all levels on instruction and in all areas of education (i.e. rural, suburban, and urban). Since the hardest areas to recruit math teachers is in rural and urban districts, our aim is to develop a campaign to persuade various stakeholders to support an initiative to procure highly qualified math teachers.
ram bhagat 