Math Justice League Blog

Dear Math Justice League, 

For the past few years, I've had the opportunity to lead mathematics culture for upper elementary and middle school grades. I often describe the role of a math culture lead as someone who helps spark joy and growth in math across a school community. While not the same as an instructional coach or interventionist, this person leads the vision and continuous improvement culture specifically around math.

Stepping into this role, one of the biggest challenges was that we were starting from scratch. There weren’t many resources on building a strong math culture. My administration invested in coaching partnerships which helped us make connections and learn from other schools who were also grappling with this work.

Another challenge we faced early on was wanting to tackle many areas at once. We decided to create a 3-5 year strategic plan to help narrow our focus. For example, in year one we prioritized choosing and implementing a common middle school math curriculum to align vocabulary and models. Any other exciting initiatives had to wait.

To nurture ownership and community co-design, we surveyed teachers, students, and families about our math program’s strengths and areas for growth. By giving stakeholders a voice, our work plan goals encountered little resistance. When new changes happen, it’s crucial that those impacted understand the rationale and have input into the design and rollout.

As a math culture lead, some of my biggest lessons have been:

1. Prioritize culture as an intervention. When data showed middle schoolers struggled with multiplication facts, we used classroom celebrations, competitions, and blended learning to spotlight growth. Our culminating Math Fact Bee became a critical piece of our intervention and an opportunity for students to showcase their growth within their community.

2. Demystify math for families through curriculum nights. Despite student celebrations, parents still felt unable to support advanced math. Clarifying the curriculum and the prerequisite skills needed to transition to higher-level math courses like Algebra 1 met this need.

3. Change how we talk about math. Shut down fixed mindset comments by reminding everyone that we are problem solvers who “do” math, regardless of our roles.

4. Start Small. You may have lots of ideas for celebrations and initiatives to engage families, and the thought of putting them all together can feel overwhelming. Begin with one event or initiative per year, then build from there.

Sustaining change requires involving stakeholders and continually realigning culture. As management consultant Peter Drucker noted, “Culture eats strategy for breakfast.” No matter how many improvement plans we make, transforming culture is essential for equity in math. Equity depends on transforming mindsets first. How might you engage in mindset work individually or with your crew in the coming month? Check out some of our favorite mindset resources to get you started:

• EL Education Core Practice 15: Teaching Mathematics

• Mathematical Mindsets by Jo Boaler

• NCTM Mathematics Teaching Practices and Beliefs

• A Strategy to Disrupt Math Status Perceptions: Multiple Abilities Strategy

• Why 2 is Greater than 4: A Proof by Induction

I’m hopeful about the community we’re building together as a Math Justice League.

In Crew, 

Taiese Carson

Director of Math (4-8)

Two Rivers Public Charter School in Washington, D.C.