In the book, the authors address the idea of deficit perspectives,
which is "the theory that genetic or cultural inferiority is the cause of
academic failure" (pg. 257). This theory has been prevalent in the history
of our education system. Low achievement is blamed on the home life of Blacks.
Or low achievement is based on ancestry. Those are common deficit perspectives
that still exist today and continue to influence policy.
In the mathematics classroom, there are
even further deficit views. In the article, Challenging
the Math Box, the authors consider the deficit views. One view is the idea
that women are not intellectually developed enough to aster math. This view is
carried over to low-income family students and minorities. There is
noticeable achievement gap for these three groups within the mathematics,
science and technology classrooms. So, researches started into looking at how
to teach math and what to expect?
Since curriculums have been less challenging in more impoverished
and high minority schools, students are not expected to actually learn.
Teachers have told them they are not smart enough to learn. Students begin to
adopt that mentality and it became a self-fulfilling prophecy. If they think
they are going to fail, they will fail.
Instead of low standards, the article suggests equity-based
approaches. The National Council of Teachers of mathematics issued an equity
principle with three aspects: “high expectations and worthwhile opportunities;
accommodating differences to help everyone learn mathematics; resources and
support for all classrooms and all students” (n.p.) This sounds nice and all,
but it still need implementation.
That’s where programs like Math Smart! come in. This institute is
a professional development program that helps teachers learn “out-of-the-box”
approaches while also providing technological integrative support for the
classroom. I think these new strategies definitely help put into action what we
need in order to conquer these deficit perspectives.
Check this article out here: http://www.idra.org/IDRA_Newsletter/September_2005_Self_Renewing_Schools_Math/Challenging_the_Math_Box/
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