Session 3:
Supporting Indigenous Learners in Mathematics
Kwey! Aanii! Hello!
Materials Needed for Session 3:
- Completed 5 row, 7 row, or 9 row pattern
- Each design should be saved as a .jpeg and ready for upload to a Shared Google Slide
- Measuring tape
- Coloured pencils or markers
- Interlocking cubes
- Device for taking pictures of work and uploading to shared Google Slides and Docs
Acknowledgement: Algonquins of Pikwakanagan First Nation
Jody Alexander, Vice-Principal FNMI Education, Ottawa-Carleton DSB and community advisor Pikwakanagan First Nation discusses the unsurrendered lands of the Algonquins.
2017.05.31-Traditional-Territory-Acknowledgement-in-Ont.pdfTo support ongoing efforts to acknowledge traditional territory in work environments in Ontario, Christina Ruddy, Operations Manager, The Algonquin Way Cultural Centre, Omamiwinini Pimadjwowin, shares a document she finds helpful from the Ontario Federation of Labour.
Reflection:
Take a moment to acknowledge the land on which you are situated. What would you like to learn more about in relation to nation to nation treaty agreements or unsurrendered lands in your local area?
Part A: Introduction
Welcome to session three of the four-part learning series, Supporting Indigenous Students in Mathematics. We hope that the learning journey shared throughout this series supports you in your local context working with First Nation, Métis and Inuit partners in supporting community goals, as well as those shared regarding the teaching and learning of mathematics.
Discuss and Record:
In session one, we reflected on who the Indigenous learners are in our system and upon how we support them in Mathematics. In session two, we began to explore these questions and record our collective thinking and wonderings so that we may learn from and with each other. Before we begin session 3, take some time to consider the following questions in relation to how we support Indigenous Learners in Mathematics.
- Discussion prompts:
- What resonated with you from our last session/s?
- What video/s, information, etc., impacted you the most? Why?
- What actions have you taken to work towards incorporating change in your practice based on meaningful impacts?
- What questions do you have?
- Share your thinking, reflections and wonderings in the Google Doc
Part B: Grade 3 Proportional Reasoning
Video:
Using designs created after Session 2, we ask participants to explore different kinds of mathematical thinking - in Task 1 proportional reasoning and in Task 2, 2-D transformations.
Task 1: Proportional Reasoning
- Refer to one of the patterns you designed using a 20-column template or design a pattern
- Measure your wrist and answer these questions:
- What is the measurement, in centimetres, of your wrist?
- How many columns will your bracelet need to be?
- How many total beads will you need?
- How many beads of each colour will you need?
- How many times will your pattern core repeat?
- If my wrist is 15cm how many more or fewer beads will you need compared to me?
- What will the 57th column of your bracelet look like? How do you know? How many repeats of the pattern core will there be by the 57th column?
- Upload your design and share your thinking in Google Slides
Videos: Mathematical Thinking Proportional Reasoning
- In the following example, first watch the introductory video on the left, video of student thinking in the middle, and then the debrief video on the right
Introduction
Mathematical Thinking
Debrief
Part C: Transformations
Videos: Mathematical Thinking Transformations
- In the following example, first watch the overview video on the left, then video of student thinking on the right
Overview
Mathematical Thinking
Video:
Dr. Ruth Beatty, introduces Task 2: Exploring Transformations
Task 2: Exploring Transformations
- Refer to one of the patterns with a square core you designed using a 20-column template
- or create a square pattern core (e.g., if using a 5-row template, create a core that is 5-columns, if using a 7-row template, create a core that is 7-columns etc.)
- Build the core using interlocking cubes
- See if you can visualize what a quarter clockwise rotation (90°) would look like
- Draw what you predict a rotated core would look like
- Use your interlocking cube core to see if you were correct
- Continue to rotate another 90° until you make a full rotation – predict, draw, check with your physical model (you may need to tape some templates together)
- Upload your design and share your exploration of core transformations and thinking in Google Slides
Part D: Pedagogy
Video:
This introductory video explores the pedagogy that emerged through the collaborative learning of the research team from an Indigenous and Western perspective.
Video:
Jody reflects on the connections between what happened in the classroom and her own childhood learning experiences.
Part E: Reflections - Working 'In a Good Way' with Community in Math Education
Video:
Christina Ruddy, reflects on the importance of relationships in supporting community members to feel comfortable in educational settings and assuming a "co-leadership" role.
Video:
Pam Agawa, FNMI Curriculum Coordinator, York Region DSB, reflects on the experience of implementing the beading project at a federal First Nation community school and then a provincial school in the public system. Pam speaks to the importance and role of allies, cultural readiness, and next steps for those in the public system who want to engage in collaborative work with community. The beading project was shared by the research team from Eganville/ Pikwakanagan, and explored through the local context, stories and relationships of members of The Chippawas of Georgian Island, and First Nation and non-Indigenous educators of Wabgoon School and York Region DSB.
Video:
Heather Lett, Grade 3 Teacher Eganville and District Public School, shares her personal experiences and reflections as a member of the research team.
Part F: Consolidation
In today's session, research team members shared their reflections on the importance of creating opportunities for community members to lead learning in the context of today's mathematics classrooms. This involves commitment to move beyond structural changes and tokenism, to meaningful changes in policy and action. This supports students seeing themselves positively and accurately reflected in education, which is paramount to reconciliation.
Task:
- Consider the reflections shared by members of the research team and the deep cultural and mathematical learning through Algonquin cultural activities
- How can you support community members in leading learning in your classroom/ system?
- What changes do you believe need to occur to support students seeing themselves positively and accurately reflected within mathematics education?
- Record your thinking in the shared Google Doc
Note: Please turn on closed captioning (cc), located in bottom right tool bar, if audio quality is poor.
Jody Alexander, Vice-Principal FNMI Education, Ottawa-Carleton District School Board and community of Pikwakanagan project advisor, discusses cultural appropriation. Jody reminds us to be mindful in work involving Indigenous knowledge and culture. Doing the work in a good way means working in partnership - partnerships built on respect and reciprocity. As a research team we continually revisit and reflect as a safe guard against cultural appropriation. We ask you to spend a few minutes of reflection at the end of each session so that you too can go forward in a good way.
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