Understanding Equitable Mathematics Pedagogy

This book describes a qualitative study of three secondary mathematics teachers’ constructions of equity pedagogy enacted in mathematics education, equitable mathematics pedagogy (EMP), and proposed educational change toward EMP. A pedagogical approach woven from problem-posing and constructive listening was utilized to encourage the participants to reflect upon, deconstruct, and explicate their beliefs about equity enacted in commonplace mathematical teaching situations. Analysis of data was grounded in a process of building a model of each participant’s constructions of EMP while considering those constructions through a sensible systems framework emphasizing consistency and coherence. The findings reveal two central concepts driving the participants’ constructions of EMP in their classrooms: their view of the nature of mathematics as well as of the students as reasoners. This book is recommended for those teaching qualitative research methods as well as professional development specialists interested in equity pedagogy and in designing environments that are productive for supporting teachers’ inquiries into their beliefs.