More than just numbers

 The problem with story problems

For this week's blog post I picked the following article out of one of Rethinking Classrooms Magazine series titled “The Problem with Story Problems”. I have linked the entire article above if anyone would like to read. Immediately when I saw the title I was dragged in. As a math educator countless times I have asked where I can make an impact in students' lives as it relates to social injustices in the field of mathematics. I understood my role as a member of a school community but I always struggled with my role in math. This article helped me to find where I could integrate conversations about social injustices in my classroom. The answer is word problems. One of the beginning quotes in the article reads “...too often the assumptions inherent in story problems perpetuate consumerism, reinforce racist and sexist stereotypes, and maintain classism and unsustainable approaches to the Earth” (Bright, pg. 15). This led me to start thinking in what ways? What types of problems are these scenarios created? How can students become aware of the injustices being asked of them to solve? 

So often word problems ask the question of buying or consuming items. The basic one we ask students in grade one goes along the lines of, “You have $20 to spend at the store which of the following things can you buy given these prices”. There would be a list of items and students would pick based on the money that they had. It seems harmless and something a student would think to do with birthday money or allowance money. Yet, it empowers the idea of consumerism and economic status. From a young age students are being pressed into the idea of always spending money to buy new and improved things. Save save save to spend spend spend. We are indirectly encouraging kids that they need to spend the money that they have. One of society's structures, that the more things you own the better off you are, the higher you rise on the totem pole. Not only does the problem encourage consumerism, but it also glosses over economic status. Student’s families may not have $20 to give their child to buy items at the store for leisure. The families of the students may need all of their earnings to pay the bills because they are just making ends meet. This would make the problem completely irrelevant for some students and not approachable in solving. Yet, those of us in power would think nothing of the word problem. 

The example and scenario I have provided above is just one example that you see countless times in math textbooks. Consumerist driven questions where students are being asked to consider spending money on particular items. Many times the items are not needed items, but they are wants or leisure activities. Another example that came from the article reads, “An orange grower in California hires migrant workers to pick oranges during the season. He has 12 employees, and each can pick 400 oranges per hour. He has discovered that if he adds more workers, the production per worker decreases due to lack of supervision. When x new workers (above the 12) are hired, each worker picks 400 – 2x2 oranges per hour” (Bright, pg. 16). The second I read this problem my mouth gaped. I am unaware of the year in which this story problem came from and how relevant it is to textbooks currently. This problem explores how to undermine already oppressed workers by paying them low wages for their hard working efforts. It leads the reader to begin thinking that the owner's objective is to maximize profit at the expense of dehumanizing migrant workers. There is an additional snippet from the problem that poses the idea that migrant workers are untrustworthy. It is creating stereotypes that the reader will begin to own as truth when in reality it is completely inaccurate and faulty information. It goes back to Johnson’s privilege and power. The story problem is naming a stereotype that exists and is enabling students to perpetuate the idea back into society in other potentially more harmful ways.

I was nosy to see if the curriculum I use in my school had word problems that enabled social injustices. It did not take me long to find one example. I am sure that there are countless more and more than I would ever hope to find. The one I found reads, “Meredith is given a $50 monthly allowance to buy lunch at school. Any remaining money can be spent on entertainment. Meredith would like to have at least $12 left at the end of the month to go to the movies with her friends”. The problem continues on with how much a lunch costs and poses the idea of how few lunches can she buy in order to have enough money left over. This implies that students would know what it feels like to have an allowance of $50. I am not sure about anyone else but I sure know that I didn’t get a $50 monthly allowance, regardless of if it was for lunch. The problem is also encouraging the idea of malnourishing your body in order to go see a movie. Something isn’t right about that. We know that eating disorders is one of the leading causes of death in adolescents and this word problem is encouraging just that. All at the expense of being able to spend money on leisure activities enabling consumerism. 

Having seen this problem and the misleading damage it may cause to adolescents makes me think about what next. What can I do to change this? Well I could just not use that problem, whip my hands clean and move on. Until I come to another problem and another and so on until now it becomes irrelevant to even use the curriculum. The article poses a better solution. We ask students to think critically and create a space for students to say “Wait, that’s not right” or “This problem reinforces (insert social injustice)”. In order for students to be able to name these ideas, it requires the educator to model first. There should be a lesson that talks about what our math word problems really convey to us. What is our role as the mathematicians to change these problems so that they are more equitable for us to use in the classroom. I think this is where we can give students a voice and allow them to speak on the wrong doings of those in power. They can name that what exists in their math word problem is not okay. As a result, we (educators) can instead empower our students to rewrite the problems to fit a more just world that we want to exist in. There is one final quote that I want to end with from the article that reads, “As mathematics educators, we’ve been encouraged to ignore many things. We’ve been taught that we are exempt from responsibility—that math is value-free” (Bright, pg. 19). Math is clearly not value free and instead the wrongful, persuading ideas of those in power can be shaped to better educate students mathematically and as better human beings. 

Teach Out Project Proposal

 CHOOSE A TEXT:

Review your whole blog to remind yourself about what we have read so far in class. What texts have stayed with you so far? What articles inspire you?  What topic matters most to you in terms of your own work? Are there any of these texts that you would like to share with others in your life? 

For my teach out project I have decided to use “Shifting the Paradigm from Deficit Oriented

Schools to Asset Based Models: Why Leaders Need to Promote an Asset Orientation in our Schools” by Renkly and Bertolini. As a middle school educator I felt that the article targeted a subset of students who truly need impactful teachers to highlight their strengths. Many times we forget that the students bring so much to the table. With an emphasis to cover curriculum, the strengths of students get pushed under the rug. The goal of an educator is to target the strengths of all students to ensure their learning is supportive of their abilities and this tends to fall to the waste side. Our school has put a recent emphasis on student behavior and how we can correct it. Rather than correcting by reprimanding, shifting our approach to students' assets may prove more effective. We play a pivotal role in student’s lives and it's time that we play a positive role rather than a negative role.  

WHO DO YOU WANT TO SHARE WITH?

Are there people in your life with whom you would really like to talk about these texts? Colleagues? Students? Family members? Friends? Children?

My initial sharing of the article will be with my current 8th grade students. When looking at assets, a student's voice is the perfect starting point. The adults always think they have the right answers, but many times it’s the students who create real change. I think students deserve to be aware of the asset model and why it is influential in their success as a learner. By sharing the article with students, it will allow them to be reflective of ways in which their assets have been highlighted and the impact that played in their success. On the contrary, students who did not have a positive experience in the past may reflect differently and be able to share the detriments it has caused their growth in learning. From this, I am hoping to share with faculty how students respond. Rather than me speaking on my beliefs, I think it is more meaningful coming from the students they educate everyday. I am hoping that it will cause a shift in instructional approaches that faculty take and create a better learning environment for all students. 

WHAT FORMAT MIGHT WORK FOR YOU?

Individual interview? Small group discussion? Art activity? Professional development workshop? Poster for your office? Pamphlet to share? Lesson plan? Etc?

At the conclusion of a summary about the article, students will be asked to respond to the following prompt; “Think about a time when a teacher, coach, or another adult in your life noticed something you were good at rather than focusing on a mistake you made. How did that make you feel, and how did it affect the way you showed up in that class or activity? If your teachers decide to focus more on your strengths and talents instead of your struggles and test scores, how might it impact your learning? What is one specific change you would want your teachers or school community to make that would help you feel more seen, supported, and motivated to learn? Or, what is something that a teacher, coach, or another adult has done to support your strengths that every teacher should incorporate in their classroom?” Once students have formulated a response, they will then be asked to share the ideas in front of a camera. Their responses will be used to create a video that will be shared with the members of our faculty. The video will serve as a driving force in creating ideas of simple ways we can change one thing that we do to highlight student strengths on a regular basis. 

Empty Promises: What are we really doing?

 Looking at the scope of sex and gender in school environments as it relates to policy was extremely eye opening to me this week. After reading through both RIDE and Providence School Districts Policy I found myself still asking a lot of questions. Both policies, similar in their descriptions, lay down the framework of the expectations of how schools should support student’s gender identity or transgender student’s (I don’t like my wording of this, students should be before transgender, but I did not know how to properly word), but this is where the questions begin. What is actually happening beyond the policy? What are administrators, faculty and other students doing to support ALL students? The policy at face value is great, but what is actually happening to allow students to feel safe? 

This feels like another educational trend where we slap a big policy on something, wipe our hands clean, and say we did it. It’s like putting duct tape on the old leaky pipe, yeah it fixes it for the moment, but the leak is still going to happen, and the functionality hasn’t changed. Yet, we would claim we fixed it. Will students' behaviors change? Will students be more educated and better equipped to support their peers? 

I decided to investigate what my school is doing as it relates to policy for students as it relates to gender and sexuality. After a google search and a little investigation, I learned that my school's policy mirrors that of the department of education. There is no write up of specific guidelines as it pertains to the composition of our school district. As I read through the short policy, I came to the end where it says that the policy will be reviewed and updated every two years from the previous adoption or amendment date. The most recent adoption date as noted in the policy is 2018. That means the policy has not been amended to any length beyond its adoption. Is it just me or is there a problem with that? 

This trickles back to my earlier point that, well we checked the box back in 2018 so we are good. A lot has changed in 8 years as it relates to gender and sexual identity, and two large scale political battles relate to transgender athletes and guidelines as well as bans on youth and adult gender medicine. As more policies and guidelines are being put in place at a larger scale, locally things stay the same. So what change is actually happening?

That question relates to the article “Queering our Schools”. Following the events that happened to Sasha the student from Oakland, their parents didn’t want law and order, they stressed educating. Being reactive rather than proactive won’t necessarily stop future scenarios like what happened to Sasha. How can everyone work together to educate youth so that their behaviors actually change? When looking at behaviors we know that there is some external route cause whether that be trauma or learned behavior. In what ways can we shape that behavior through discourse regarding the subject. I watched the video named in the article It's Elementary although dated, I found it very interesting. In the video teachers are asking young elementary students what does it mean to be gay or lesbian. The plethora of knowledge students shared was fascinating. It is worth the 4 minute watch.

A quote from the article reads, “Talking about “bullies” makes it seem like an individual problem and glosses over homophobia, sexism, racism, Islamophobia—all the critical issues that underlie conflicts among children and adults” (Rethinking Schools, pg.23). The point that the authors are making is that it is not just one behavior but it is a societal issue that continues to perpetuate itself from generation to generation. This relates back to Johnson’s article of Privilege, Power and Differences, where groups who are unprivileged and don’t hold power as created by those in power continue to be oppressed. Until we dig out the root, the weed is still going to grow back. Creating a policy is just picking the flower off. The root still exists and the flower will grow back and plague the rest of the garden. 

I feel like I have asked a lot of questions and named that policy is not enough, but I do not know how to defeat the challenge. I myself am not educated enough to know what the solution is. I do know that educating students is important and having real conversations. Glossing over the topic is not going to fix the problem. For me where the question really comes in is where do I fit gender and sexuality into Math? How does it connect to the curriculum? Could I create a project based learning activity around gender and sexual identity? What does that look like? I have a role in the system, but knowing what exactly it is I have not answered.     

   

What it looks like creating a policy with no actionable steps to make students lives better

My way is right, your way is wrong...

 Argument Statement: Delpit argues that there exists what she defines as a ‘culture of power’. When she gives meaning to the phrase she defines it as the codes of languaging established by white, middle and upper class people. A language that is coined as proper and the correct way to speak and express oneself. Delpit says that although this language must be taught as it has been institutionalized, educators must not forget about the home language and cultures that students bring to the classroom. 

When I first read through Delpit’s article, I struggled to grasp her purpose. It was not till later in the article that I began to grasp what her message was. It began to be clear that she was not arguing against the ‘culture of power’ but instead that since it exists, everyone must be explicitly taught what it is. She makes it clear that although she may not support the way in which it is used to marginalize individuals, she does recognize that it has been institutionalized and to not explicitly teach it to students would be a disservice for their future. 

Talking Points

Delpit argues that there is a standard that has been institutionalized by those in power (white, middle/upperclass, christian, straight, etc…) that relates to language and behaviors or actions. Her second statement as it relates to the ‘culture of power’ says, “There are codes or rules for participating in power; that is, there is a culture of power”( Delpit, pg. 25). When Delpit uses the word ‘codes’ she is referencing the arbitrary unwritten rules of how to behave in society. These rules or codes became ‘normalized’ into existence by those in power. There is nothing to say that they are correct or superior, but if you do not follow them, then society looks down upon you. 

Delpit pushes this concept further to say that it also exists in education. Some students may not come to school with said codes as they were never inherently taught them based upon their cultural background. So when teachers say, “Why is Jimmy always talking over other students? Why doesn’t Sam sit in her chair properly? Why don’t these students know how to follow rules?” The real statement or question should be, “How can I teach students the codes that society has normalized, but also keep students' home codes?” This is where the culture of power bleeds into schools. In order to be successful in a career and life it is imperative that students know the codes of power. Delpit says, “ …If schooling prepares people for jobs, and the kind of job a person has determines her or his economic status, and therefore, power, then schooling is intimately related to that power” (Delpit, pg. 25). This is where the backlash stems from. Regardless of race, parents want to see their students successful and those who do not own the ‘culture of power’ understand that their child must be taught it explicitly. As Delpit notes, many white liberal teachers think they have it all figured out. Wrong! Part 5 of the ‘culture of power’ explains, “Those with power are frequently least aware – or least willing to acknowledge - its existence.  Those with less power are often most aware of its existence”. The white liberal teacher has the power which makes it even harder for them to understand its interworks or are unwilling to do so. Consequently, they think that being loose and indirect with their instruction and standards is helping students. If a student owns the ‘culture of power’ then maybe it is, but if a student does not, then the educator is actually making the situation more challenging for the student.

As noted early in the passage this is where voices are silenced. White liberal teachers “listen” (in one ear, and out the other) to what parents, colleagues and other people outside of the culture of power. Their response is to throw research and data in the face of the speaker as a way to defend their choice in instruction. Rather than recognizing that what the person is saying is not a fallacy, but is truth, the educator will continue to disservice students lacking the codes of society. This will cause a trickle down effect into their future outcomes in life as it relates to careers, social status and relationships. In the eyes of Delpit we must teach all children the codes to own the ‘culture of power’, but at the same time we need to shake up the standards that exist. She proposes the following idea, “... if we are to truly affect societal change, we cannot do so from the bottom up, but we must push and agitate from the top down” (Delpit pg. 40). She argues that just teaching the ‘culture of power’ is not enough. There also needs to be a large push to break down barriers from a large scale. Her phrase the top down references large institutions that need to change their view on what it means to be educated or what a professional looks like. She presses that matter by saying those who aren’t raised into the ‘culture of power’ are the people to do that. By appropriately teaching each individual while maintaining their culture will allow them to work their way up the ranks and tap the glass like Dr. Bogad says. Maybe eventually the glass will crack and the ‘culture of power’ won’t hold its power as it once did.

Connection: I work in a prominently white, middle class school and I fear that I do not always see the ‘culture of power’ that I hold over students. A male black student one day said to me “Yo what up cuss”. I was quick to respond by saying you don’t call your teacher cuss. At the moment I was disregarding the students' codes in his culture and correcting them. What Delpit would say is that I should have said something along the lines of, “You may call people you know cuss, but the appropriate thing to say is what’s up Mr. Dowhan”. I should have then followed that up with, “In school please call teachers by their last name, but when you are with friends or family it is okay to use cuss if it is appropriate in that setting”. With a reflected response, I would be honoring the students culture codes while also explicitly telling the student what is the ‘societally’ appropriate code.

Delpit's argument is similar to that shared in the Ted talk titled, "The Danger of a Single Story". It is a powerful speech and closely aligns with the idea that 'culture of power' is not the only story even if its the prominent one.