Cultivating Mathematical Proficiencies and Identities through Culturally and Community Inspired Activities

Abstract

Utilizing culturally-conscious teaching promotes instruction that values the cultural knowledge and experiences of ethnically diverse students. This qualitative study centers culturally responsive teaching (Gay, 2002) and community cultural wealth (Yosso, 2005) to contextualize mathematics learning for an after-school tutoring program in North Minneapolis, Prepare2Npsire. The aim of this research was to use a community-based participatory action research approach to: 1) explore the culture wealth of North Minneapolis, 2) create culturally responsive mathematics activities for Prepare2Nspire. Two activities were developed to center community assets and youth empowerment. The goal of these activities was to strengthen community, curriculum, and classrooms by intentionally connecting students’ multidimensional identities with mathematical learning. Specially, Muhammad’s (2020) culturally and historically responsive literacy framework was adapted using a mathematical lens to: 1) Create tasks that build mathematical proficiencies and 2) Create tasks that cultivate mathematical identities.   The emphasis on participatory, community-based, and action-oriented practices in this study encouraged the disruption of deficit-based assumptions of communities while also creating joy-filled learning opportunities for Prepare2Nspire attendees.