"High School Mathematics Lessons to Explore, Understand, and Respond to Social Injustice" by Basil Manley Conway IV, Robert Q. Berry III, John W. Staley, Brian R. Lawler

Summary: As educators, we need to empower our students to be the change, as well as be the change FOR our students. All students have lived through so many experiences with their own social injustices. BUT when thinking about changing these injustices, mathematics is definitely not the first thing that comes to mind. In teaching mathematics through a social justice lens, mathematics teachers will be connecting the content that is being taught to the everyday lives of their students. In these problems, students can be exposed to different issues within the world that can prepare them to be leaders in their futures. 

"The Power to Change the Equation" by Greg Benoit, Justin Reich, and the INSPIRE-Math team

Summary: Between the pandemic and the brutal killings of many, which proved that we are closer to the Jim Crow Era then we thought we were. Obviously, there were so many issues during these times, but mathematics teachers took it upon themselves to make crucial connections to what was going on around the world and in mathematics instruction. Social justice mathematics is just one of the ways that eliminating social injustice was presented. It is believed that social justice mathematics should not be done superficially. With this, educators should not just be adding more diverse names into their problems or solely concentrate on math content. One example of social justice mathematics would be doing a lesson to demonstrate disparities of the school to prison pipeline. Therefore, at the end of the lesson, students have the opportunity to ask questions to further their knowledge. Not all of these lessons have to be of high-importance events, but do need to be culturally responsive. 

"Measuring What Counts: Chapter 2: A Vision of Mathematics Assessment" by the Mathematical Sciences Education Board

Summary: Students are given assessments, which are used to prove what the students know and what they can do. Supposedly, it also tells educators what the students have learned- the concepts, the mathematical thinking and terms, and the problems that they can solve. It is important that assessment changes to support students in mathematics education. Textbook exams, as well as standardized exams have shown to have low level thinking skills. These assessments should not be easy to measure, but that should consist further in value, rather than for ways to prove that they "can solve a problem". The main principle of this: "assessment should reflect the mathematics that is most important for students to learn." These assessments should reflect real world applications in which are critical to future life and today's world. Assessment should be used to enhance learning and good instructional practice. In addition, these assessments should support each student and their way of learning mathematics. 

"Rethinking Mathematics through Social Justice by the Numbers" by Eric Gutstein and Bob Peterson

Summary: It is not uncommon for a student to prefer almost anything else to a mathematics class. When bringing a social justice approach into a mathematics classroom, it is important that students will be able to understand the power in mathematics as a tool that can change the world through real-world connections. In addition, issues relating to racism, sexism, social class, and environmental class can be proposed within these assessments and homeworks to deepen students understandings on these issues. In the topic of examinations, students had the ability to create their own reviews and their own tests. There are so many students that learn in different ways, so having a variety of methods that allow students to be their strongest in an examination is so incredibly important. There are so many other ways besides one standardized exam to show off a students strengths. 

"How does Race Affect a Student's Math Education?" by Melinda D. Anderson

Summary: This article discusses how "whiteness" reproduced racial disadvantages. Race in mathematics education has often centered around the underperformance of students are of different races- which include Black, Latino, and indigenous youth. Whiteness is impacting how and where mathematics ability is seen. There is a concept of racial hierarchy of mathematical ability which is completely unacceptable. School systems have to support math educators in ensuring that white frames are deconstructed. 

"Twelve Ways to Make Math More Culturally Responsive" by Larry Ferlazzo

Summary: There are just so many ways that we as educators can be more culturally responsive, especially when it comes to mathematics education. First off, building real-world connections that relate to the students' language and culture is so important. Another way to improve is with student collaboration. Taking time to learn your students who are culturally and linguistically diverse is so important to increase responsiveness to culture within the classroom. In addition, embed the local community into the instruction. For example, using places around the community that the students know well. Not only will this increase culture responsiveness, but also increase the interest in student learning.