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1. Teacher practices for culturally responsive math modeling in grades K-2.

   Turner, E.; Carlson, M.; Aguirre, J.; Suh, J.; Brown, J.; Greene, M.; McVicar, E. (November 2024, North American Chapter of the International Group for the Psychology of Mathematics Education)

   Lamberg, T. (Ed.)

   There is growing recognition that mathematical modeling can be a lever for equity in elementary mathematics classrooms. This study focuses on the impact of a professional development program focused on culturally responsive mathematical modeling on 8 kindergarten through 2nd grade teachers’ practices in modeling lessons. We use a project developed observation tool to evaluate two video recorded modeling lessons from each teacher (16 total). Findings focus on patterns in the strengths and challenges in primary grade teachers’ practices for teaching modeling, including how teachers’ practices align with culturally responsive teaching. We discuss implications of our findings for the design and refinement of professional development. 

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2. Challenges and supports for secondary science and mathematics teacher retention

   https://doi.org/10.1111/ssm.12647  

   Lotter, Christine; Crooks‐Monastra, Jennifer; Irdam, Greysi; Yow, Jan_A (February 2024, School Science and Mathematics)

   Abstract More research related to effective ways to support and retain teachers in the teaching profession is necessary as the need for science and mathematics teachers continues to grow. Understanding how teachers perceive challenges and experience support early in their career can contribute to building environments which foster teacher retention. This mixed‐method study explored the influences on the self‐efficacy and career satisfaction of a group of 21 early‐career (2–6 years of classroom experience) secondary science and mathematics teachers who participated in a traditional university preparation program and scholarship program to prepare them for teaching in high‐need school districts. Using data from an efficacy survey and semistructured interviews, this study measured changes in teacher efficacy and described teacher leadership experiences, perceived teaching challenges, and valued supports. Results found no change in teachers' self‐efficacy scores although mean outcome expectancy scores decreased. Teachers' identification as a teacher leader was correlated with science or mathematics teaching self‐efficacy. Qualitative coding of the interviews revealed ways in which assessments, workload, school structures and polices, administration, students, and teacher community either contributed to teachers reported difficulties or supported them as early‐career teachers. The discussion offers suggestions for ways to increase secondary science and mathematics teachers' job satisfaction. 

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3. Designing for Justice: Preparing Culturally Competent Science and Mathematics Teacher Advocates for High-Need Schools

   Grillo, Monica; Kier, Meredith (April 2022, Innovations)

   In a time when the United States is faced with continued racism and social unrest, it is more important than ever to prepare teachers who can advocate for marginalized students and social justice. This article describes the evolution of a seminar course called Theory and Reality: Practicum in Math and Science Teaching in High-Need Schools within the context of a predominately White teacher-preparation program. Guided by scholars of culturally relevant education and our professional and personal journeys as equity-focused teacher educators, we sought to design experiences to prepare preservice science and mathematics teachers to teach in high-poverty or underfunded schools. Specifically, the course was intended to (1) develop an understanding of pedagogical practices and educational strategies for successful teaching in a high-need school setting, especially in mathematics and science classrooms, and (2) cultivate both cultural self-awareness and cross-cultural consciousness in one’s ability to adapt to the high-need environment in a culturally responsive way. We describe the evolutionary rationale for changes made to course assignments and readings to promote cultural competence and early advocacy skills for teacher candidates interested in teaching in schools facing poverty. We highlight preservice teachers’ reflections that evidence their early conceptualizations of teaching in a high-need school context and how assignments promoted their relationship-building and advocacy skills for marginalized students. 

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4. Impacting Culturally Responsive Teaching Strategies by Decreasing Bias Through Simulation Experiences

   https://doi.org/10.3280/exioa2-2022oa15077  

   Christensen, Rhonda; Knezek, Gerald (January 2022, EXCELLENCE AND INNOVATION IN LEARNING AND TEACHING)

   Simulated teaching environments have been used for more than two decades and are likely to continue to expand to meet the demands of teacher development programs. In this study, the self-reported changes in culturally-responsive teaching perceptions of ten classroom teachers serving more than six hundred students are reported. This paper includes first year findings from a program designed to use artificial-intelligence (AI) based algorithms to reduce implicit bias in teaching. Findings from this study include significant pre-post increases for self-efficacy related to culturally responsive teaching as well as instructional self-efficacy. These findings add credibility to the contention that a key innovation of using simulation programs for teacher professional development is that it provides teachers and teacher trainees many learning trials with simulated students, thereby increasing teacher confidence and competence, and which in turn will improve student learning. Findings set the stage for measuring the impact on student perceptions of learning and cultural engagement intended to support teachers in recognizing and ameliorating their own implicit biases. 

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5. DEVELOPING POLITICAL CONOCIMIENTO: TRAJECTORIES OF MATHEMATICS TEACHERS

   Aguirre, B. (October 2023, Psychology of Mathematics Education)

   Lamberg, T. (Ed.)

   This paper focuses on the trajectories of two mathematics teachers in developing Political Conocimiento through one year of Professional Development (PD) on culturally responsive mathematics teaching. The PD was organized around teacher and student noticing, positionality, community partnerships and action research. The study found that the teachers’ discourse practices shifted from whiteness pedagogies towards politicized notions of schooling, caring, and mathematics learning. The paper discusses the dominant ideologies that teachers reproduced in their discourses around mathematics education and interactions with students. It also illustrates the teachers’ trajectories of Political Conocimiento through the deconstruction of the role that race plays in their positionalities, their classrooms, and school. 

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