Links to Literature: On the Road with Cholo, Vato, and Pano

Abstract

Typically, elementary school mathematics experiences for children in the United States have stood almost completely apart from their lives outside school. Children's voices simply do not come through in the common arithmetic- driven curriculum. Although the NCTM's Standards movement, which began in the 1980s and continues to this day with the recent publication of Principles and Standards for School Mathematics (NCTM 2000), has had an impact in the professional, political, and public realms, much teaching and learning of mathematics is still detached from children's personal experiences.

2008 -- Math Links: Building Learning Communities in Urban Settings

“…(female student, fall 2007) These excerpts reveal that despite almost 20 years since the publication of the Curriculum and Evaluation Standards for School Mathematics (NCTM, 1989) the teaching-learning context in K-12 mathematics classrooms has not dramatically changed (Martin, 2003). Mathematics instruction continues to be disconnected from students' culture and everyday experiences (Silverman et al, 2001). Mathematics, as a content domain, continues to be viewed as a complex series of algorithms with abstract entities that have nothing to do with the sociocultural context of students' lives.…”

“…Knowledge of diverse students' learning styles and cultures helps teachers, especially those who are from different racial, ethnic, and/or social backgrounds, to develop strong teacher-student relationships with culturally diverse students (Lipka et al, 2005;Shade, Kelly, & Oberg, 1997;Silverman, Strawser, Strohauer, & Manzano, 2001). Culturally sensitive approaches should also link mathematics to issues of social justice.…”

Math Links: Building Learning Communities in Urban Settings

“…These excerpts reveal that despite almost 20 years since the publication of the Curriculum and Evaluation Standards for School Mathematics (NCTM, 1989) the teachinglearning context in K-12 mathematics classrooms has not dramati cally changed (Martin, 2003). Mathematics instruction continues to be discon nected from students' culture and everyday experiences (Silverman et al, 2001). Mathematics, as a content domain, continues to be viewed as a complex series of algorithms with abstract entities that have nothing to do with the sociocultural context of students' lives.…”