Middle School Mathematics Lessons to Explore, Understand, and Respond to Social Injustice

Learn to design lessons that engage middle school students in mathematics explorations through age-appropriate, culturally relevant social (in)justice topics.

Basil Conway IV is currently an assistant professor, teacher educator, at Columbus State University. He has taught middle and high school mathematics, for ten years ranging from 7th grade mathematics to Calculus and Statistics. He has also taught statistics and introductory algebra courses at junior colleges and served his last two years as a mathematics teacher educator at Jacksonville State University. During this time, he has presented at numerous local, regional, and national conferences on topics ranging from statistics, technology in statistics, differentiated mathematics instruction, and access to rigorous mathematics courses. He has recently published The Common Core Mathematics Companion: The Standards Decoded, High School and an NCTM book chapter Examining School-based Tracking to Increase Students’ Awareness and Statistical Reasoning. He has also served as a leader in his region as an officer for the East Alabama Council for Teachers of Mathematics creating professional development opportunities for teachers. His research interests are in statistics education, mathematical empowerment through effective teaching practices, and student opportunity-access to rich mathematics.

Eva Thanheiser is a professor of Mathematics Education at Portland State University. Her research focuses on learning mathematics through engaging in social and political contexts focusing on grades K-8. This builds on her prior work focusing on learning mathematics content and on motivation to learn as well as views of what mathematics is. Eva also collaborates with Teachers Development Group on examining the efficacy of their professional development and developing a tool designed to measure productive mathematics classrooms. She is a member of the editorial board for the Journal for Research in Mathematics Education, and recently finished her term as a board member of the Association of Mathematics Teacher Educators and on the editorial board of the Mathematics Teacher Educator as well as a Steering Committee Member of PME-NA (Psychology of Mathematics Education - North America). She co-edited an issue of the Mathematics Enthusiast (2014) focusing on prospective teacher content knowledge. Eva has published and presented nationally and internationally on topics focusing on content knowledge, motivation, beliefs about what mathematics is, and using social and political contexts in mathematics classrooms to learn about both mathematics and social and political issues.

John W. Staley has been involved in mathematics education for over 30 years as a secondary mathematics teacher and district leader in private and public schools in Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Maryland. He earned his Bachelor of Science in Mathematics from the University of Maryland, College Park; Masters in Secondary Education from Temple University; Ph. D. from George Mason University in Mathematics Education Leadership. Dr. Staley taught middle and high school mathematics in private and public school settings in Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Maryland and has also served as an Adjunct Professor at George Mason University, Loyola University, UMBC, and Morgan State University. During his career he has presented at state, national, and international conferences; served on many committees and task forces; facilitated workshops and professional development sessions on a variety of topics; received the Presidential Award for Excellence in Teaching Mathematics and Science; and served as President for NCSM, the mathematics education leadership organization. He currently serves on several advisory boards and is the chair of the U.S. National Commission on Mathematics Instruction. He truly believes that ALL students can be successful in mathematics. His recent publications include. High school mathematics lessons to explore, understand, and respond to social injustice (Corwin, 2020); ＂Equity and Access＂ (in progress) in Mathematics Teacher: Learning & Teaching PK-12; and Where am I in my equity walk? The Lighthouse Almanac, 2(1), 37-43.

Amanda Ruiz is an Assistant Professor of Mathematics at the University of San Diego. Dr. Ruiz enjoys research in combinatorics. Previous research has been in enumerative combinatorics and matriod theory. She is also interested in research around issues of social justice in STEM, in particular, how to make mathematics more equitable and accessible to all students. She is committed to making mathematics accessible for women and students of color and considers service in this area an integral part of her job as an educator and academic.

Brian R. Lawler is currently an Associate Professor of Mathematics Education at Kennesaw State University. Previously, he was a high school mathematics for nine years. He has worked with middle and high school teachers, schools, and districts to implement equity pedagogy in mathematics courses. Brian currently is directing a multi-institution research program to address equity, diversity, inclusion, and social justice issues in the preparation of secondary mathematics teachers. He is a contributing author to the internationally acclaimed Interactive Mathematics Program, a comprehensive, problem-based high school mathematics curriculum designed specifically for detracked classrooms. He has published and presented internationally on social justice issues in mathematics education, specifically topics such as mathematical identity, personal epistemology, ethics, critical mathematics education, and district transformation of mathematics instruction.