Successful Black Mathematics Teachers Building Collectivity, Autonomy, and Mathematics Expertise of Their Black Girls

Abstract

Background: Traditional mathematics logics lead to inequities that reproduce narratives such as the myths of racialized and gendered hierarchies of mathematical ability (Hottinger, 2016; Martin, 2009). Black girls sit at the bottom of both racialized and gendered hierarchies; however, research over the past decade has provided evidence that Black teachers challenge these hierarchies for their Black students. Therefore, we show how two teachers work against these logics to create space for their Black girl students to flourish as learners and producers of mathematics. Focus of Study: This research documents the logics that lead to supportive spaces for Black girls in two Black mathematics teachers’ classrooms: What are the supportive logics of successful mathematics teachers who support Black girls’ achievement in middle school classrooms? Setting: This research was a secondary analysis of videos collected as part of the Gates-funded Understanding Teaching Quality (UTQ) project. Case Study Selection: The study used MANOVA to quantitatively select teachers based on change in mathematics achievement. Two teachers were selected based on number and percentage of Black girls in the top 5% of change in achievement across the dataset. Although not part of the selection criteria, both mathematics teachers identified as Black. Research Design: The study used a case study design to describe the mathematics practices and the logics that they supported for the two successful Black mathematics teachers. Data Collection and Analysis: The dataset included four lessons per teacher with two cameras for each lesson. Open coding was used to identify the practices used by teachers drawing on logics as an orienting concept. Findings: Interestingly, both classrooms were fairly procedural in their mathematics focus; however, the classrooms challenged logics of individualism, racialized and gendered hierarchies of mathematics ability, and carceral pedagogy. Teachers supported Black student autonomy in terms of both behavior and intellectual contribution, and specifically positioned Black girls as experts and highlighted collective responsibility for peers’ mathematics learning. Conclusions: Although the classrooms did not display the cultural competence or sociopolitical consciousness foundational to culturally relevant pedagogy, the Black teachers did challenge traditional logics found in mathematics classrooms. Through a focus on collectivity, autonomy, and competence, the relational ways in which teachers positioned Black girls ran counter to logics that too often frame them as incapable mathematically.