Our relationship with learning mathematics is seriously damaged in this country. 26 percent of all eighth graders Only 100 students achieved proficient or above in mathematics. 9 percent of black eighth graders Above expert level.
As a Black male teacher in northeast Denver, I have witnessed the consequences of disengagement and delayed learning in the math classroom. Lack of access to quality math instruction impacts students’ confidence and ability to learn math concepts. Deficit Mindset ThinkingThis is especially true within the black community.
One day, out of curiosity, I asked my Facebook community about their experiences learning math, and found that many people had negative experiences. Some of them had the following comments:
“I have dyscalculia… In third grade, my teacher yelled at me, ‘Why don’t you get it yet?’ and called me stupid in front of the whole class. I just cried because I felt defeated.”
“I felt like there was something wrong with me because I excelled in some areas and struggled in others.”
“I asked my geometry teacher for help at lunch and he told me I was just wasting my time. He said I couldn’t do it.”
These experiences and perceptions are not isolated events: in fact, the majority of these responses have come from Black people in my community, some of whom I grew up with and now teach their children.
This is unacceptable, to say the least, and schools and educators are to blame for the lack of priority given to math learning in Black communities. Providing a solid math education for our children, especially the most marginalized, can be empowering, and I am on a mission to shift my students’ mindsets from a deficit to an asset that can transform their futures.
It starts with the community
I grew up in Northeast Denver, an area rich in black history and culture, where the Denver Public Schools (DPS) Board of Education Black Excellence ResolutionAlthough progress has been made, the promise has yet to be fulfilled when it comes to student learning.
Unfortunately, DPS is following a national trend. Black students are more likely to violate rules And it’s underrated In academic performanceI empathize deeply with these inequities because I experienced the system as a child, and now, as a teacher and father, I can see the impact of these trends and how they affect Black students and their families.
Educators and education systems often Implicit bias This results in lower expectations for Black students, especially in mathematics. These biases can manifest in many ways, such as underestimating Black students’ mathematical abilities or not encouraging them. Not believing in Black students’ potential creates a self-fulfilling prophecy, as students internalize these low expectations and perform accordingly.
White supremacy in the disciplinary system It also impacts Black students’ learning in mathematics by perpetuating racial bias and inequality, resulting in lost instructional time and reduced opportunities to engage academically in subjects like mathematics where continued practice is important.
There are ways to mitigate these challenges. In particular, parents’ active involvement in their children’s mathematics education can help mitigate the negative effects of trauma and foster resilience and academic success. Intergenerational trauma Issues between parents and families complicate this involvement.
When we assign homework to eighth grade students, it often ends up not being completed because there are multiple calls for help or the parents are unable to help and don’t have the tools or resources to assist them. MathematicianTrauma causes parents to perpetuate negative, scarcity-based thinking in themselves and their children.
Rather than drowning students in a system that seeks to maintain harmful biases and stereotypes that impact student learning, we have sought to engage students in asset-based approaches that support them and their families.
Establish a growth mindset
A system that fails to foster joy and belonging in the classroom perpetuates biases that view students through stereotypes and negative lenses. Therefore, establishing positive norms and community agreements is essential to maintaining high standards of excellence for both my students and ourselves, which will be the foundation for my students to thrive.
I once taught a fearless, assertive, yet vulnerable black girl in my class. She didn’t believe in her math abilities, which manifested in her pursuit of perfectionism that sometimes prevented her from studying. She persisted despite facing significant personal challenges that often kept her from attending school. Recognizing her potential as a math scholar, I encouraged her to ask questions, embrace mistakes, and find motivation in difficult tasks. She began to see mistakes not as failures, but as opportunities to learn and grow. This shift in mindset enabled her to approach difficult problems with confidence and curiosity.
This summer, just after completing her freshman year of high school, I saw her at our annual Juneteenth celebration. She eagerly approached me, shared her success, and expressed her gratitude for helping me believe. Today, she is thriving and on the path to a promising career in behavioral health. Her journey is a testament to support, resilience, and the power of believing in one’s own potential.
Her classmate, on the other hand, was a charismatic, vocal black boy with a tense attitude toward math and school in general. Learning grade-level material was a challenge for him. He struggled with his studies and would get angry when he encountered difficult problems.
He was eligible for extra support and accommodations while in school, but I wondered if he was getting the help he needed and deserved. I recognized these behaviors as cries for help, not just disruptions, and over time, I became his trusted adult, mentor, and teacher.
During class, I scheduled one-on-one sit-downs with him, during which his mathematical thinking was at its best and he was able to tackle the most difficult problems, like transformations on the coordinate plane, operations with scientific notation, and understanding linear relationships.
I also checked in on him regularly throughout school whenever possible — in the hallways, at lunch, during practice, etc. I tried hard to help him overcome long-ingrained habits, and we made great progress. He ended up transferring to another school midway through the year, but I hope he at least felt supported enough to carry what he learned with him to his next school community.
These experiences have helped me understand that the hardest part of teaching is accepting that not all problems are solvable, but the work is still essential, my presence is still valuable, and giving students opportunities to feel agency in their math learning is key to overcoming preconceived notions about their abilities.
Mathematical literacy as a tool for emancipation
As we look to the future, let us remember that math is about more than teaching numbers. Math is about cultivating a growth mindset, encouraging collaboration, and inspiring innovation. It’s about equipping students with the skills to navigate and shape an ever-changing world. Here in the heart of northeast Denver, in the midst of challenges and triumphs, I am committed to this cause.
Teaching is my passion, and I am committed to creating a classroom environment that values relationships, joy, and belonging as essential components of quality math learning. I prioritize the person behind the student. I bring the same attitude to each day. I want my students to know that it’s okay to be themselves, that they are loved, and that they don’t have to apologize for being who they are.
I believe it is important to expose the realities students face both inside and outside of the classroom. The realities of poverty, chronic absenteeism, violence, etc. To combat this reality, we must find ways to remove all barriers to success and make math a tool of liberation.
There has never been a better time than now to call on educators to join forces with their communities to reimagine the systems that improve children’s education. Algebra Projectonce said, “Mathematics literacy can be a tool of emancipation for those seeking to escape poverty and the best hope for those striving to avoid being left behind.”
This essay is a call to action, a reflection on my journey, and an invitation to all who believe in the transformative power of mathematics education. Let’s pave the way for a world where mathematical thinking is celebrated and every student can say with confidence, “I can and I will.”
