Identifying Systemic Racism in Mathematics Teacher Education: Building a Cross-Site Community with Preservice Teachers of Color

该项目将通过识别和描述数学教师教育计划(MTEP)中固有的系统性种族主义形式，为STEM的种族平等做出重大贡献。种族主义的数学教学做法在小学数学课堂上是系统性的，K-12数学教育中系统性不平等的影响既阻碍了不同背景的学生对数学产生兴趣，降低了他们从事STEM的可能性；又通过贬低或抹杀他们不同的文化背景和观点来影响学生的身份。由于教师是确保课堂上种族平等的关键，因此确定种族主义的数学经验必须从数学教师教育计划开始。在这项创新研究中，一个由数学色彩教师教育者(MTEC)组成的项目团队将与来自三个独特的MTEP(HBCU、HSI和PWI)的12-15个色彩职前教师(PTOC)建立真正的合作伙伴关系，以形成一个跨站点的关键数学专业学习社区(CMPLC)。通过在三个网站上记录PTOC的种族主义数学经验，该项目将：(1)收集关于PTOC种族主义的数学学习和教学经验的基本知识，(2)建立种族主义数学经验及其对PTOC准备工作的总体影响的知识，以及(3)为跨内容和背景的教师教育方案提供信息。作为在教师教育方面拥有丰富经验的黑人和拉丁裔学者，项目团队将这个创造性的项目概念化，以阐明在数学教师教育中滋养和确认PTOC的种族身份和文化优势的新方法。项目团队将与参与的PTOC合作，使用解释性现象学分析、案例研究方法和主题分析来分析从焦点小组、个人访谈、CMPLC对话、期刊和实地笔记产生的数据。参与PTOCs的学生，特别是教室里文化和语言不同的学生，将从这个项目中受益，因为他们将获得更多的机会，以增强他们的STEM身份，学习数学。该项目将通过以下方式填补研究文献中的空白：(1)增加关于PTOCs数学教师培训的知识；(2)将PTOCs和有色人种数学教师教育工作者的声音和经历集中在一个跨种族和跨文化的项目中；(3)作为一个完全由mTEC组成的PI小组，为我们自己和PTOCs经验的结果的设计、实施、评估和传播带来独特的视角。通过更深入地了解PTOC的数学学习经验，我们通过揭露使历史上被边缘化的学生处于不利地位的种族主义教学做法，并确定教师教育中将发现和解决阻碍STEM中种族公平的做法的变化来促进种族公平。这一合作项目由STEM教育中的种族平等活动(EHR Race Equity)资助。该活动支持研究和实践项目，调查种族平等因素如何影响科学、技术、工程和数学(STEM)教育和劳动力的改善。获奖项目寻求集中受STEM企业内部系统性不平等影响最大的个人、社区和机构的声音、知识和经验。这项活动符合NSF的核心价值，即支持来自全国不同人口群体、地区和组织类型的杰出研究人员和创新思想家。EDU各地的方案向种族平等活动提供资金，以表彰其项目与理事会四个司的集体研究和发展努力的一致性。罗伯特·诺伊斯教师奖学金计划为该项目提供了资金。这一奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

This project will make significant contributions to racial equity in STEM by identifying and describing forms of systemic racism inherent in mathematics teacher education programs (MTEPs). Racialized mathematics teaching practices are systemic in elementary mathematics classrooms, and the impacts of systemic inequities in K-12 mathematics education both deter students from diverse backgrounds from becoming interested in math, reducing their likelihood of engaging in STEM; and affect students’ identities by devaluing or erasing their diverse cultural backgrounds and perspectives. Since teachers are the key to ensuring racial equity in classrooms, identifying racialized mathematics experiences must begin with mathematics teacher education programs. In this innovative study, a project team comprised of mathematics teacher educators of color (MTECs) will collaborate with 12-15 Preservice Teachers of Color (PTOCs), in authentic partnership, from three unique MTEPs (at an HBCU, an HSI, and a PWI) to form a cross-site Critical Mathematics Professional Learning Community (CMPLC). By documenting PTOCs’ racialized mathematics experiences across three sites, the project will: (1) gather fundamental knowledge on the racialized mathematical learning and teaching experiences of PTOCs, (2) build knowledge of racialized mathematics experiences and their overall impact on the preparation of PTOCs, and (3) inform teacher education programs across content and contexts. As Black and Latinx scholars with extensive experience in teacher education, the project team conceptualized this creative project to illuminate new ways of nourishing and affirming PTOCs’ racial identities and cultural strengths in mathematics teacher education.The project team will collaborate with participating PTOCs to analyze data generated from focus groups, individual interviews, CMPLC conversations, journals, and field notes using interpretative phenomenology analysis, case study methodology, and thematic analysis. Participating PTOCs’ students, especially the culturally and linguistically diverse students in their classrooms, will benefit from this project by receiving increased opportunities to learn mathematics in ways that bolster their STEM identities. The project will fill a gap in the research literature by: (1) increasing the knowledge on the mathematics teacher preparation of PTOCs; (2) centering the voices and experiences of PTOCs and mathematics teacher educators of color in a cross-racial and cross-cultural project; and (3) bringing unique perspectives to the design, implementation, evaluation, and dissemination of findings about both our own experiences and those of PTOCs, as a PI team composed entirely of MTECs. By attaining a deeper understanding of PTOCs’ mathematics learning experiences, we advance racial equity by exposing racist teaching practices that disadvantage historically marginalized students and identifying changes in teacher education that will identify and address practices that obstruct racial equity in STEM.This collaborative project is funded through the Racial Equity in STEM Education activity (EHR Racial Equity). The activity supports research and practice projects that investigate how considerations of racial equity factor into the improvement of science, technology, engineering,and mathematics (STEM) education and workforce. Awarded projects seek to center the voices, knowledge, and experiences of the individuals, communities, and institutions most impacted by systemic inequities within the STEM enterprise. This activity aligns with NSF’s core value ofsupporting outstanding researchers and innovative thinkers from across the Nation's diversity of demographic groups, regions, and types of organizations. Programs across EDU contribute funds to the Racial Equity activity in recognition of the alignment of its projects with thecollective research and development thrusts of the four divisions of the directorate. The Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship program contributed to the funding of this project.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.