A guide to deconstructing racism in mathematics ?

[Semper-Fi]

A mathematics guide sent out to Oregon schools tells educators
that asking students to show their work in math class is a form
of white supremacy.

“White supremacy culture infiltrates math classrooms
in everyday teacher actions,” the guide reads.

Teachers were encouraged to enroll in a course,
titled "A Pathway to Equitable Math Instruction,"

An 82-page instructional guide ways in which white
supremacy apparently runs rampant in mathematics class.


Oregon Dept. of Education: Asking Students To ‘Show
Their Work’ In Math Class Is A Form Of White Supremacy

Feb 15, 2021 DailyWire.com
Oregon Dept. of Education: Asking Students To ‘Show Their Work’ In Math Class Is A Form Of White Supremacy

Examples of classroom actions that allegedly perpetuate white supremacy
include asking students to show their work, focusing on getting the right
answer, tracking student success, and grading students.

Math Educator Update: February 2021

Math classes that focus on helping students get the right answer
are also a form of perpetuating white supremacy. The guide claims
that calling answers “right and wrong” perpetuates objectivity,
which is considered a tenet of white culture.

Teachers are also asked to “identify and challenge the ways that math
is used to uphold capitalist, imperialist, and racist views.”

The instructional material also suggests teachers expose students to
examples of people who have used math as a form of “resistance.”
-


“Grading for Equity,” How far will this go- may God help us.

 

[Aussie Pete]

A mathematics guide sent out to Oregon schools tells educators
that asking students to show their work in math class is a form
of white supremacy.

“White supremacy culture infiltrates math classrooms
in everyday teacher actions,” the guide reads.

Teachers were encouraged to enroll in a course,
titled "A Pathway to Equitable Math Instruction,"

An 82-page instructional guide ways in which white
supremacy apparently runs rampant in mathematics class.


Oregon Dept. of Education: Asking Students To ‘Show
Their Work’ In Math Class Is A Form Of White Supremacy

Feb 15, 2021 DailyWire.com
Oregon Dept. of Education: Asking Students To ‘Show Their Work’ In Math Class Is A Form Of White Supremacy

Examples of classroom actions that allegedly perpetuate white supremacy
include asking students to show their work, focusing on getting the right
answer, tracking student success, and grading students.

Math Educator Update: February 2021

Math classes that focus on helping students get the right answer
are also a form of perpetuating white supremacy. The guide claims
that calling answers “right and wrong” perpetuates objectivity,
which is considered a tenet of white culture.

Teachers are also asked to “identify and challenge the ways that math
is used to uphold capitalist, imperialist, and racist views.”

The instructional material also suggests teachers expose students to
examples of people who have used math as a form of “resistance.”
-


“Grading for Equity,” How far will this go- may God help us.

so "ten green bottles" is prejudiced against martians? Stop the world, I want to get off. It's just as well that insanity is not as contagious as COVID. The education system would send the whole world to the funny farm.

 

[SilverBear]

of course if you actually read the manual this rant against the material falls apart....what a surprise

for instance "focusing on getting the right answer" is, according to the program a problem because the focus needs to be on how the mathematic process being taught works.
"Teachers often treat mistakes as problems by equating them with wrongness, rather
than treating them opportunities for learning—which reinforces the ideas of perfectionism (that students shouldn’t make mistakes) and paternalism (teachers or other experts can and should point out mistakes)." The teaching opportunity rests in identifying why the answer was wrong and dealing the student process that got them to the wrong answer.
" Learn to distinguish between a mistake and a misunderstanding. A misunderstanding or misconception occurs when knowledge is not yet solidified or solidified incorrectly."



and when you actually read the manual about "tracking student success, and grading students" you find: " Grades are traditionally indicative of what students can’t do rather than what they can do, reinforcing perfectionism. In addition, math teachers also focus grades on what is more easily measurable, rather than the knowledge that we want students to have, reinforcing quantity over quality and often evaluating procedural or skills-based knowledge rather than conceptual knowledge."

Which is nothing like what the article is going on about.

 

[com7fy8]

Asking Students To ‘Show
Their Work’ In Math Class Is A Form Of White Supremacy

Well, if you make a student show his or her work, this can help make sure the student really is learning math. But this takes time and personal attention to every student; and so this means paying for more teachers and teaching time. And there can be people running an education system, who do not want to spend enough money to make sure the poorer and minority students are really learning their math. It is reported how some number of educational systems use their money for their more well-to-do and non-minority students. But nowadays, if they don't take good care of their minority and poorer students, they can miss out on federal grant money for their systems.

And we have state testing systems to make sure about if a state is doing its job to educate all students. So, certain people have fixed state test results to cover up for their failure to give minority and poorer students a good education.

The testing is intended to make sure that minority students and ones in poorer areas get a good education like ones in more well-to-do and non-minority areas. And requiring showing of work can help make sure of if a student really has learned how to do his or her math. It can make it harder for a state or a local school to fake that the student has learned.

So, a clever trick could be to accuse the government of being racist because they require showing work . . . when in reality the accusers don't want to be exposed for not doing their job with minority and poor students.

 

[Lawrence87]

I fail to understand how mathematics can be racist. It sounds like an utterly insane thing to say. Like saying shapes are homosexual, or light is a Nazi.

Surely showing your work is just a means by which you can assess whether someone is arriving at the correct answer through the correct means, to understand how a wrong answer went wrong so as to be able to correct their misunderstandings, and also to show they haven't just googled or used a calculator to come up with the answer?

 

[civilwarbuff]

for instance "focusing on getting the right answer" is, according to the program a problem because the focus needs to be on how the mathematic process being taught works.

Wonder if the guys on Apollo 13 would agree with that after NASA geeks calculated burn times (with a slide rule no less) for the returning capsule. NASA: "Ah, it's OK guys. We think were close enough.....we at least understand the process."
Or.....is your house corners square? It is a mathematical process completed by actual measurement but if you arrive at the wrong answer your house is in big trouble. Contractor: "Ah, 90 degree angle +/- 10....it's close enough. But at least we understand the process."
Amazing that people would speak up in support of such nonsense.

 

[SilverBear]

Wonder if the guys on Apollo 13 would agree with that after NASA geeks calculated burn times (with a slide rule no less) for the returning capsule. NASA: "Ah, it's OK guys. We think were close enough.....we at least understand the process."

They were able to do it because they understood the process and they likely understood the process because likely because they had teachers who did more with math than grade homework

 

[SilverBear]

Well, if you make a student show his or her work, this can help make sure the student really is learning math. But this takes time and personal attention to every student; and so this means paying for more teachers and teaching time. And there can be people running an education system, who do not want to spend enough money to make sure the poorer and minority students are really learning their math. It is reported how some number of educational systems use their money for their more well-to-do and non-minority students. But nowadays, if they don't take good care of their minority and poorer students, they can miss out on federal grant money for their systems.

And we have state testing systems to make sure about if a state is doing its job to educate all students. So, certain people have fixed state test results to cover up for their failure to give minority and poorer students a good education.

The testing is intended to make sure that minority students and ones in poorer areas get a good education like ones in more well-to-do and non-minority areas. And requiring showing of work can help make sure of if a student really has learned how to do his or her math. It can make it harder for a state or a local school to fake that the student has learned.

In Michigan the dark side of standardized testing involves "punishing" schools where students don't perform as well. Schools are punished by having money taken away, that money is then channeled to affluent schools so their scores will improve and the scores of the poorer schools will continue to drop.

So, a clever trick could be to accuse the government of being racist because they require showing work . . . when in reality the accusers don't want to be exposed for not doing their job with minority and poor students.

from the guidebook:
Math teachers ask students to show work so that teachers know what students are thinking, but that centers the teacher’s need to understand rather than student learning. It becomes a crutch for teachers seeking to understand what students are thinking and less of a tool for students in learning how to process.

 

[com7fy8]

In Michigan the dark side of standardized testing involves "punishing" schools where students don't perform as well. Schools are punished by having money taken away, that money is then channeled to affluent schools so their scores will improve and the scores of the poorer schools will continue to drop.

Oh . . . that certainly is possible. Thank you for taking the time.

I suppose money could be provided for each school, according to needs. But in case a school does not use it right, hold the money while correcting the problem, but then the money still goes to that school.

from the guidebook:
Math teachers ask students to show work so that teachers know what students are thinking, but that centers the teacher’s need to understand rather than student learning. It becomes a crutch for teachers seeking to understand what students are thinking and less of a tool for students in learning how to process.

I suppose it can be done in a good way, or not, and for different purposes . . . multitasking?

 

[civilwarbuff]

They were able to do it because they understood the process and they likely understood the process because likely because they had teachers who did more with math than grade homework

And, more importantly, they came up with the correct answer (most likely demanded by teachers and parents who cared) otherwise those astronauts would have burned alive or been sent on a trip out of the solar system. And believe me, the target angle they have to hit is a tiny little sliver.

 

[Arcangl86]

I fail to understand how mathematics can be racist. It sounds like an utterly insane thing to say. Like saying shapes are homosexual, or light is a Nazi.

Surely showing your work is just a means by which you can assess whether someone is arriving at the correct answer through the correct means, to understand how a wrong answer went wrong so as to be able to correct their misunderstandings, and also to show they haven't just googled or used a calculator to come up with the answer?

Nobody is saying mathematics is racist. What the site is saying is that it can be taught in a racist way. I tend to agree with the showing your work piece, though it can be done in a way that is not helpful. If I make calculations in my head, but can't really show how I did it on paper with the proper symbols, should I still be punished for that?

 

[Ignatius the Kiwi]

Since objectivity is now racist, what criteria are they suggesting in it's place? Does the subjective experience of a Nigerian change the meaning of pi somehow?

 

[Angela Lifman]

A mathematics guide sent out to Oregon schools tells educators
that asking students to show their work in math class is a form
of white supremacy.

“White supremacy culture infiltrates math classrooms
in everyday teacher actions,” the guide reads.

Teachers were encouraged to enroll in a course,
titled "A Pathway to Equitable Math Instruction,"

An 82-page instructional guide ways in which white
supremacy apparently runs rampant in mathematics class.


Oregon Dept. of Education: Asking Students To ‘Show
Their Work’ In Math Class Is A Form Of White Supremacy

Feb 15, 2021 DailyWire.com
Oregon Dept. of Education: Asking Students To ‘Show Their Work’ In Math Class Is A Form Of White Supremacy

Examples of classroom actions that allegedly perpetuate white supremacy
include asking students to show their work, focusing on getting the right
answer, tracking student success, and grading students.

Math Educator Update: February 2021

Math classes that focus on helping students get the right answer
are also a form of perpetuating white supremacy. The guide claims
that calling answers “right and wrong” perpetuates objectivity,
which is considered a tenet of white culture.

Teachers are also asked to “identify and challenge the ways that math
is used to uphold capitalist, imperialist, and racist views.”

The instructional material also suggests teachers expose students to
examples of people who have used math as a form of “resistance.”
-


“Grading for Equity,” How far will this go- may God help us.

I understand that racism is bad and needs to be eradicated. But math supports racism, which sounds silly. I don't even know how to relate to this and how this came to someone's mind.

 

[Arcangl86]

I understand that racism is bad and needs to be eradicated. But math supports racism, which sounds silly. I don't even know how to relate to this and how this came to someone's mind.

If you had read the actually resource in question, you would see that the claim isn't that math supports racism, but the way we teach it does. Subtle difference maybe, but an important one.

 

[HannahT]

for instance "focusing on getting the right answer" is, according to the program a problem because the focus needs to be on how the mathematic process being taught works.
"Teachers often treat mistakes as problems by equating them with wrongness, rather
than treating them opportunities for learning—which reinforces the ideas of perfectionism (that students shouldn’t make mistakes) and paternalism (teachers or other experts can and should point out mistakes)." The teaching opportunity rests in identifying why the answer was wrong and dealing the student process that got them to the wrong answer.
" Learn to distinguish between a mistake and a misunderstanding. A misunderstanding or misconception occurs when knowledge is not yet solidified or solidified incorrectly."

(Shrugs) This is to generalized, and tends to reinforce stereotypes towards teachers. It also makes no sense. Especially that last sentence?! Talk about a word salad that goes nowhere.

Math teachers tend to show their students HOW to do the process of the problem. Children have to practice this enough times for it to click. That doesn't mean just in class, but also doing homework. Processes don't always come naturally even if Math processes are taught correctly. That's the frustrating part about Math! It's the same thing with just about anything in life. This aspect in life is completely different than pushing perfectionism - ie students shouldn't make mistakes.

If you are doing Math and your show your work? You are able to see how the student got to the answer. Math tends to be a right or wrong deal. Either you got the answer right or you didn't. Showing your work allows the teacher to show the student where the error started. That part of the process of learning - and not paternalism.

It could be as simple as a addition mistake, but the way the student processed the problem was completely correct. Yet, the answer is still wrong. Is it frustrating at times for the student? It was for me as a child, but my work allowed the teacher to show me HOW to go back and double check the problem to locate the mistake I made. If my process to solve the problem was incorrect? They reminded me of the process we had already gone over in class was. I didn't like it much, because I was child and didn't really want to do Math to begin with. lol! I was also frustrated because my friends could do this better than I could. I had to force myself to go back and figure out where I made my mistake also, because the teacher wasn't always available to do that each and every time. As it should be. I should be forced to learn to do this, and NOT depend on others to help me. We as adults use this skill everyday when we run into things. Teachers aren't always going to be there, and we must learn to figure things out by ourselves. School is a great learning space to do just that.

Our school had kids from all backgrounds, color, and creeds. We all had to do stuff, and I think it's rather condescending to claim that people of certain backgrounds, color, etc can't perform because something systematic is going on. They are human and their brains work the same way. We had kids in school that had families that didn't encourage doing homework, and didn't place emphasis on education. No doubt there were many reasons for that, but it didn't mean they couldn't do it...but they did have factors within their family that didn't encourage them to succeed. You also had families that didn't have enough education to help their kids, and it's not alway easy to find other adults to fill in that gap - especially when the don't say anything. Our next door neighbor's children? They struggled due to a language barrier, and the district finally put a program in place to teach them the language FIRST in preschool so they had a better chance.

Children and their learning experiences should be centered on their circumstances, and not this: A Pathway to Equitable Math Instruction is an integrated approach to mathematics that centers Black, Latinx, and Multilingual students in grades 6-8, addresses barriers to math equity, and aligns instruction to grade-level priority standards. The Pathway offers guidance and resources for educators to use now as they plan their curriculum, while also offering opportunities for ongoing self-reflection as they seek to develop an anti-racist math practice. The toolkit “strides” serve as multiple on-ramps for educators as they navigate the individual and collective journey from equity to anti-racism.

 

[JimR-OCDS]

If you had read the actually resource in question, you would see that the claim isn't that math supports racism, but the way we teach it does. Subtle difference maybe, but an important one.

Which is nonsense in of itself in how educators teach math today.

 

[GOD Shines Forth!]

Wonder if the guys on Apollo 13 would agree with that after NASA geeks calculated burn times (with a slide rule no less) for the returning capsule. NASA: "Ah, it's OK guys. We think were close enough.....we at least understand the process."
Or.....is your house corners square? It is a mathematical process completed by actual measurement but if you arrive at the wrong answer your house is in big trouble. Contractor: "Ah, 90 degree angle +/- 10....it's close enough. But at least we understand the process."
Amazing that people would speak up in support of such nonsense.

It’s all about deconstruction/subversion. Illogic is part of their wearing down tactic.

 

[JimR-OCDS]

It’s all about deconstruction/subversion. Illogic is part of their wearing down tactic.

Divide and conquer. The Russians are being very successful with dividing us though these
evil ideas.

 

[Albion]

Math teachers ask students to show work so that teachers know what students are thinking, but that centers the teacher’s need to understand rather than student learning. It becomes a crutch for teachers seeking to understand what students are thinking and less of a tool for students in learning how to process.

It's white supremacy for the teacher to want to know if the student "gets" what was being taught or not??

 

[Toynbee]

A mathematics guide sent out to Oregon schools tells educators
that asking students to show their work in math class is a form
of white supremacy.

“White supremacy culture infiltrates math classrooms
in everyday teacher actions,” the guide reads.

Teachers were encouraged to enroll in a course,
titled "A Pathway to Equitable Math Instruction,"

An 82-page instructional guide ways in which white
supremacy apparently runs rampant in mathematics class.


Oregon Dept. of Education: Asking Students To ‘Show
Their Work’ In Math Class Is A Form Of White Supremacy

Feb 15, 2021 DailyWire.com
Oregon Dept. of Education: Asking Students To ‘Show Their Work’ In Math Class Is A Form Of White Supremacy

Examples of classroom actions that allegedly perpetuate white supremacy
include asking students to show their work, focusing on getting the right
answer, tracking student success, and grading students.

Math Educator Update: February 2021

Math classes that focus on helping students get the right answer
are also a form of perpetuating white supremacy. The guide claims
that calling answers “right and wrong” perpetuates objectivity,
which is considered a tenet of white culture.

Teachers are also asked to “identify and challenge the ways that math
is used to uphold capitalist, imperialist, and racist views.”

The instructional material also suggests teachers expose students to
examples of people who have used math as a form of “resistance.”
-

“Grading for Equity,” How far will this go- may God help us.

This is precisely how the left has poisoned our culture with their tyrannical propaganda. We need to extract this evil from our schools - and our culture in general; it's a vicious, malignant tumor that has been allowed to metastasize for far too long.