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Heewon Chang, Ph. D.
Eastern
University
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Suzanne
Blanc
In this paper, we address one of the major questions discussed in Research for Action’s evaluation of the second year of the Philadelphia Urban Systemic Program. The Urban Systemic Program is funded by the National Science Foundation with the goal of achieving equity in mathematics and science education for all students, and as part of the evaluation research we asked “What are the beliefs of Urban Systemic Program teacher leaders about equity issues in mathematics and science education?” [paragraph 1] The Urban Systemic Program (USP) provides the School District of Philadelphia with professional development and guidance in implementing effective science, mathematics and technology programs. USP strives to build a cadre of teacher leaders with the skill and commitment to increase racial and cultural equity in student outcomes through providing workshops in leadership training, inquiry workshops in mathematics and science, hands-on instructional approaches in mathematics and science, content courses, and other graduate classes. During the year this evaluation covered (2001-2002), the program provided professional development to approximately 200 participants identified as “teacher leaders” and approximately 850 other teachers. [paragraph 2] This paper highlights the
voices of teacher leaders in the Urban Systemic Program as a way
to keep visible the hard work and commitment of classroom
teachers during a year of state-takeover and privatization. By
and large, the sample of Philadelphia teachers that we
interviewed were committed to working in Philadelphia because
they believed that urban students needed the best possible
mathematics and science teachers, but they felt undervalued and
under attack in the media, in the political arena, and sometimes
even in their own schools. These teachers generously invited
us into their classrooms and shared their perceptions of their
strategies, their successes, and their challenges in teaching
mathematics and science to students from racial and economic
groups that have traditionally been excluded from these fields.
[paragraph 3] To collect and analyze data, Research for Action developed case studies of a sample of thirteen USP participants. These case studies were integrated with a USP survey, a database managed by USP, and test data about student outcomes. Case-study teachers were chosen to represent a range of grade levels, geographic areas, and roles within USP. The case study sample was designed to focus on teachers who had attended at least ten hours of USP professional development during the previous school year and summer1. [paragraph 4]
Mathematics and Science for All "Mathematics for all" and "Science for all" are key goals of the current reform movements in mathematics and science education. The importance of high quality mathematics and science education for minority communities is starkly articulated by Robert Moses. Moses is the national director of the Algebra Project, which "is founded on the idea that the ongoing struggle for citizenship and equality for minority people is now linked to an issue of math and science literacy." (Moses and Cobbs, 2001, p. 14). According to Moses, "Math illiteracy is not unique to Blacks the way the denial of the right to vote in Mississippi was. But it affects Blacks and other minorities much, much more intensely, making them the designated serfs of the information age just as the people that we worked with in the 1960s on the plantations were serfs then" (p. 11). [paragraph 5] Research for Action believes
that in order to increase equity in mathematics and science
education, it is essential to understand more about how teachers
currently engage with equity issues. We begin this paper by
presenting the portraits of three teachers who are committed to
increasing equity in mathematics and science teaching and
learning. Following the portraits, we analyze the motivation,
philosophies, and attitudes about equity among the larger set of
thirteen case-study teachers2.
These data suggest that public school teachers who are committed
to equity:
Portraits
of Three Teacher Leaders Sandra Bowens, an African American woman in her early 50’s, has been teaching for 28 years. Prior to teaching in Philadelphia, Sandra taught in the Midwest. She has been teaching in Philadelphia for eight years and feels particularly connected to her school community because of family ties: “I grew up in the area and my family (uncle, mother, cousins) went to this school. I went to Talcott Middle School. I come into this building and it encourages me. My family’s history in this school makes me want to be the best I can be and be involved in any way I can for the children I teach." Sandra’s sense of “community-mindedness” is another incentive that motivates her to remain in teaching in Philadelphia: “When I became a teacher, my purpose was to work with children in and around the community I lived in and I can’t get away from that.” [paragraph 7] Sandra’s aspirations to pursue a career in
education evolved at an early age: “Since elementary school, I
have always wanted to be a teacher; that’s the only thing I ever
wanted to be." Currently an 8th grade pre-algebra
and algebra teacher, Sandra has always aspired to be a math
teacher. Although not certified, she measures her success in
teaching math by her ability to stimulate students’ interest in
math: “I have always been able to think critically and have
always enjoyed helping children exercise their brain to think
mathematically when they are doing anything. I have a talent to
make children excited about it [math]. I’ve been given a gift
and I really enjoy it.” [paragraph 8] Teaching in a middle school that serves
predominantly low-income African- American students, Sandra
expressed a commitment to exposing this student population to
the value of math: “It [math] gave me the inspiration to want to
expose other people to it. I know that women, in particular,
are not math-driven and I wanted young women to have that
exposure and I know that African Americans – male or female –
are not math-driven and I wanted to give that exposure to those
children.” [paragraph 9] Sandra infuses a range of varied
approaches in teaching math, from peer tutoring to collaborative
learning groups: “I try to take different approaches where
children can do some hands-on things or have peer tutoring.
Sometimes what I can’t get across to a student, another student
can. We do a lot of group work in the classroom so that they
depend and use each other as a reference and not just me,
because I can’t be with 33 children alone.”
[paragraph 10] Serving in multiple roles as a math
teacher and math leader, Sandra’s leadership is supported by her
principal who has allotted time for teacher collaboration,
professional development, and in-service training. She
described the changes she has experienced in her leadership role
because of her involvement with USP: "USP has empowered me. The
whole idea of being in a large inner-city district, I felt
defeated and could only touch a few children. As an educator I
want to touch as many students as I could. Being a leader has
empowered me. My work with other teachers allows me to touch
more children.” [paragraph 11] Like Sandra, Charles grew up in
Philadelphia and attended neighborhood schools. He, too, said
that he "loved math since he was young." He described math as a
subject he could relate to his real life experiences, “because
math is a strong subject for me; it’s a subject that I love to
teach.” Charles, a young African American male in his 20’s, was
formerly an accounting major who became bored during his first
semester in college. After rethinking his long-term goals, he
decided that he could use math to teach and work with children.
He cited his 8th grade teacher as an important
influence in his life: My eighth grade teacher made a big
difference in my life." [paragraph 12] Initially, he aspired to become a high
school math teacher, but because of his young age, he decided to
pursue teaching at the middle school level. He is a novice
teacher, recently completing his second year of teaching at
Barrow. For Charles, “the best thing about teaching is the
children." He likes to see the "children's enthusiasm for
learning.” Charles teaches 5th grade at a school
that has a multiracial student population of Hispanics, African
Americans, and Asian Americans. He sees math as “universal” and
a vehicle that helps connect students to the real world: “In
math, equity is not a problem. Math is not about race and
class. Girls are also strong in math. I don't see a problem;
not even with science." [paragraph 13] In his classroom, Charles has posters on
his walls depicting African American scientists to remind
students about the important contributions that African
Americans have made. He describes his teaching approach as
"hands-on." "I get the children as active as possible. I give
them manipulatives.” He uses cooperative groups but tries to
"balance the group work with individual work." Charles wants
"every child to succeed.... Even if they are not doing what I
want them to, it is important to see growth and improvement."
He wants children to develop a "love for math" and to see "a
connection between the text and everyday life.” [paragraph
14] Charles was selected by his principal to
be a teacher leader; however, in comparison to Sandra, he has
had little support for leadership in his school: "From my
understanding, I thought we would be able to take information
back to the other teachers, that we would have a chance to sit
down and demonstrate - show other teachers how we would do
things." According to Charles, many of his colleagues do not
feel competent teaching math and he has not been allotted the
time to meet with them to collaborate on teaching strategies.
[paragraph 15] In contrast to Sandra and Charles who were
always drawn to their USP content area [mathematics], the third
teacher profiled in this report, Janice Truman, became a science
teacher by accident. She is a 4th grade science
teacher at the Hargrove Elementary School. “When I got to the
school, they said, 'Oh hello, new science teacher.'" After
being given this role and responsibility, Janice realized she
needed additional training and explored resources and
professional development to support her teaching science: “I
knew I needed some type of training because I always thought of
a science teacher as knowing every single thing.” To assist her
in making the transition to the role of science teacher, Janice
received support from several sources, including the principal
and a USP teacher leader trained to coach new science teachers.
Like Sandra’s principal, the principal at Hargrove showed
support through allotting extra time for training: “He made time
for me to do things. He got me time if I needed additional time
to get something organized. He helped with the schedule so it
wasn’t overwhelming.” [paragraph 16] Janice is an African American woman in her
40’s who has over 16 years of teaching experience. She
describes herself as having a “natural thirst for learning” and
believes “teaching and learning are inseparable." A resident of
Philadelphia, Janice is motivated to teach in the district
because she likes the “interaction” she gets from urban
students. Her experiences teaching a diverse student population
have influenced her to appreciate the “multiculturalism and the
mix of how things come together." As an African American
teacher, Janice believes her role is “to do all [she] can to
bring up our children of color." She approaches teaching
students science, using inquiry. “It’s good to do
investigations around things that children are familiar with.
This leads to further investigation and takes us places we’ve
never been. I think it’s important for us to have background
knowledge in what we’re teaching. I try to do some background
investigation myself and call people to give me support.”
[paragraph 17] The Case-Study Teachers: Findings Finding One:
The teachers express a strong commitment to
their students, who are predominantly African American and
Latino. Most of the African American and Latino participants in
the study also describe close connections to the communities in
which they work and use a discourse related to social justice,
equity, and fairness to explain their motivations for teaching
in Philadelphia.
[paragraph 18] When asked to reflect on their motivations for teaching, many described themselves as “good with people,” or having an interest in “helping people." Several reported that teaching was a childhood aspiration: “I’ve never wanted to do anything else.” “I’ve always wanted to be a teacher as a little kid." [paragraph 19] Over half the teachers in the sample cited
that being a Philadelphia native or current resident was a major
influence in their motivation to teach in the school district.
Several teachers grew up in the neighborhood where they are
currently teaching. Others reside in the city, articulating a
preference to teach where they live. According to one, “A lot
of my growth and development came from Philadelphia."
[paragraph 20] Many of the African American teachers and the one Latina in the study talked explicitly about their passion for making a difference in communities of color. A veteran math teacher made a commitment because of “the need to work in the inner city.” Another expressed a particular interest in teaching at a bilingual school: “I like being in a school where I can meet so many Puerto Rican and Latino students. I like to stay around and interact with the students, the parents, and the community.” Both Janice and another elementary school teacher said they cherished their daily interactions with urban students. They feel more appreciated, as one said, because “the need is stronger in Philadelphia than in other school districts, especially for minority students.” [paragraph 21] Finding Two: Most
teachers in the sample believe that the hands-on strategies and
problem-solving approaches promoted by USP are a valuable means
of supporting equity3
and engaging students who might otherwise be excluded from high
levels of achievement in mathematics and science.
[paragraph 22] From their answers to our questions about
equity, it appears that USP teacher leaders regard equity in
math and science education in terms of two overarching themes:
(1) envisioning the goal of USP as providing high-level learning
in mathematics and science for ALL students, including those
traditionally excluded from the fields of math and science; and
(2) providing access for all students, including special needs
and bilingual students, through the use of varied instructional
strategies to support their learning. [paragraph 23]
Most teachers agreed that USP’s vision of equity is apparent in the program's actual approach in math and science instruction. For one leader there is an “underlying theme of equity." Teachers describe alternative models, such as hands-on and inquiry-oriented approaches that they learned through USP, as mutually beneficial for themselves and for their students. For Sandra, reform mathematics programs, like those espoused by USP provide accessibility for all students: “The reform math programs help the other child who needs to see the problem in an alternative way. It’s making math accessible for the children who we thought were not bright enough for it. Now the idea is that algebra should be given to everyone so that every child can attain it.” [paragraph 24] When asked about their goals for student learning, most teachers described expectations that included both mastery of skills and the ability to engage in problem solving. This was particularly true for the teachers of elementary and middle school mathematics, who seemed quite aware of the sequence of skills and concepts that students needed to cover in order to achieve at higher levels of mathematics. [paragraph 25] Several teachers specifically identified how the approaches advocated by USP were helpful in meeting the needs of special education or bilingual students. In addition, several raised issues related to gender. Strategies for meeting the needs of special education and bilingual students included providing one-on-one assistance, allocating extra time, giving oral exams, and encouraging peer supports. [paragraph 26] In contrast to the strong belief shared by
many participants that USP's approach was designed to work with
ALL students, a smaller number of participants felt that some
special attention needed to be given to the contributions of
different cultures. [paragraph 27] Finding Three: The teachers describe challenges in meeting the goal of high achievement for all students because of the need to grapple with the multiple academic, emotional, and social issues facing their students; the overall lack of resources in their schools; and a lack of support within their schools. [paragraph 28] While most of the teachers we interviewed
talked about the importance of high achievement for all
students, many also described a lack of adequate resources,
especially for special education students. Others mentioned the
number of students needing extensive emotional support or the
many out-of-school problems their students face and the
subsequent difficulties the students have when they try to focus
on academic work. There was an overall consensus among the
teachers that Philadelphia students also experience inequity due
to insufficient resources to support all the strategies
advocated by USP. [paragraph 29] Conclusions: Balancing Pessimism and Hope The teachers in this sample
are a committed group who have chosen to work in the
Philadelphia public schools. While a few are in Philadelphia
for their own convenience, or perhaps because of inertia, most
stay in the system because they actively choose to work with
students who need good teachers the most. This case-study
sample was selected with minimal previous knowledge about the
teachers, except that they had chosen to participate in USP
professional development. We learned that the teachers in the
sample perceive USP’s approach as valuable in providing
strategies and standards that are appropriate for all
students. The teachers in this study also believe that equity
cannot be achieved without additional resources for schools, for
classrooms, and for students. [paragraph 30] One African American male expressed the
mix of hope and down-to-earth realism that characterized these
teachers as a whole, when he told us:
USP has a vision of equity. It's broad
because what USP sees is a graph that shows the achievement
gap. [The program director] wants that gap closed. She knows
the reason is economic, socio-economic. The reason is more than
the colors than saying Hispanic or saying Black. There is an
underlying theme of equity. “How to make an impact?,” that is
the question. I'm also sure that no one has the answer, but USP
will try to address it in some way. [paragraph 31] Because equity issues are central to
educational achievement in Philadelphia, we are continuing to
examine equity as part of our ongoing research about USP. In
addition to evaluating the impact of district-wide
organizational and policy changes, in 2003 Research For Action
will explore African-American male students’ perceptions about
mathematics and science. In addition, we are working closely
with mathematics and science teachers to help them observe and
analyze how their teaching impacts African-American male
students in their own classrooms. [paragraph 32]
Blanc, S., Morecai-Phillips,
R., and Pickron-Davis, M. (2002). Urban Systemic Program
evaluation: Year two. Prepared for the School District of
Philadelphia. Philadelphia: Research for Action.
Moses, R. P. and Cobbs, C.E. (2001). Radical equations: Civil rights from Mississippi to the Algebra Project. Boston, MA: Beacon Press. Suzanne Blanc, Ph. D., is a Senior Research Associate at Research for Action. She is an anthropologist currently studying policy reforms in Philadelphia and is interested in the relationship between communities and schools. (Contact this co-author at sblanc@researchforaction.org) Marcine Pickron-Davis, Ph. D., completed her dissertation about service learning among African-American undergraduates at the University of Pennsylvania. She is currently working as a consultant with Research for Action and other organizations. Her areas of interest are equity, service learning, and multicultural education. (Contact this co-author at mdavis@researchforaction.org) Rhonda Mordecai-Phillips, is a Senior Research Assistant at Research for Action. She is currently studying literacy teaching and early mathematics learning in Philadelphia. She is also designing and implementing teacher research about equity within the Urban Systemic Program. (Contact this co-author at rphillips@researchforaction.org) Recommended Citation in the APA Style:
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