Photo: Me, caught in a teaching momentBefore choosing a social justice topic to focus on I began to look at how to structure the program overall. I knew, as I mentioned in my last post, that I wanted to use the text less, use computers more, and use group work more.
I decided that I would follow in the footsteps of a dedicated teacher researcher named Eric Gutstein (2006, 2007) and create project based social justice mathematics units. Each unit would have a project that was the central focus. Students would be broken up into small groups to work on the project and within the small groups students would have specific roles. The purpose of the specific roles was to manage the students group work time effectively by assigning specific jobs to each group member. I also decided that the students would work to complete their group project following a specific schedule that included steps towards completion that would each be graded individually along the way. Students would also be required to keep a project folder and a project journal. They would keep track of all their work in the journal and they would keep any loose papers in their folder. Each group would meet with me regularly to assure that they were completing the steps necessary and that their overall progress was good. The final project for the unit would be a multimedia presentation and the steps to completion would include meetings with me, research, mathematical calculations, and rough drafts and revisions of their final project. Each student's final grade would be based on their individual contributions and the final group presentation. A rubric would be used for their final grade and students would have access to the rubric during the project.
Once I'd thought through and wrote out all of these plans then I was able to begin the process of choosing a social justice focus area for our first unit. I also had to determine which mathematics standards would be covered during the unit and make a plan for lessons I would teach to cover the necessary math standards and the social justice issues' background, history, and points of view.
6 comments:
I applaud your project in so many ways because it seems like it took a lot of planning and laying out. I thought about doing that with my own students but could not conceptualize doing all that with second graders and still being sane at the end of the day. I love the idea or your project and am sure that your students learned a lot. Are you doing anything like it again with this years' class?
Falhon, I'm not using the social justed based mathematics curriculum I created last year with my students this year because it isn't as appropriate for their needs in math. The surveys, interviews, and perusal of CST scores I completed last year led me to the project I completed. The project was created based on the specific context and students I was with last year. This year I have students who scored very high on the CST math test and they LOVE math. Its very different. Also we had a new math adoption this year so I'm not as familiar with it and want to become familiar before I start trying to change it. Maybe next year I can get creative again. Thanks for the good question!
Lothy, that all makes perfect sense....I was more trying to steal your great ideas to try in my own class because I'm too tired all the time to think of them myself =) =) =)
Falhon,
I think that it would be great if you could use social justice based math in your 2nd grade but it would be very different just as it would be different for me if I wanted to use a similar program in my 3rd-5th. But both of us could do it, when we are less busy!
I think the context of your school and the scores allow you and your colleagues autonomy that most of us don't have. The the number of students in your class is a plus. When I consider having to meet the needs of 34 students as opposed to 10 ,I am often overwhelmed. I loved the way you could actually develop units like we did in the old days. You have a great teaching environment-cherish it.
Monica,
I agree, I am very lucky to be where I am. It's a gift and I do cherish it.
Post a Comment