Culturally Sustaining Practices for Middle Level Mathematics Teachers

This chapter provides middle school mathematics teachers with strategies to specifically address culturally responsive teaching goals. Authors provide background on culturally sustaining practices and use Ellerbrock and Vomvoridi-Ivanovic’s (2019) three goals for Responsive Middle Level Mathematics Teaching (RMLMT) as a foundation to suggest three specific tools middle level practitioners can use to enhance their students’ experiences. The first goal, advancing young adolescent learners’ mathematical thinking, includes getting to know individuals’ mathematical selves. Goal two addresses promoting equity in young adolescent learner’s mathematical classroom learning experiences. Goal three, attending to young adolescents’ characteristics, needs, and interests, includes an examination of ways to use young adolescent characteristics in middle school math classrooms. The three tools we are recommending include: reflection, literacy integration, and utilization of place-based, problem-based learning. Each of these tools reflect practices that sustain an environment operationalizing the goals of RMLMT.