Investigating Latino Family Contexts for Mathematics Teaching and Learning Tentative Syllabus

Preparatory Activities to be done prior to the first day of the School

  1. Parents’ interviews: transcriptions due June 13; each Fellow should become familiar with his/her interview prior to the CEMELA School; this means having done a preliminary analysis looking for some general themes. Fellows can choose to do this individually or in their interview groups
  2. Readings for day 1; we suggest that you try to do as many of the readings for the whole course in advance since during the week of CEMELA School, as you know, things are intense.

Day 1
COURSE OVERVIEW: Why is it important to investigate Latino family contexts for mathematics teaching and learning?
Facilitators: Martha Allexsaht-Snider and Marta Civil

Readings:

  • Abreu, G. de, & Cline, T.(2005). Parents’ representations of their children’s mathematics learning in multiethnic primary schools. British Educational Research Journal, 31, 697-722.
  • Allexsaht-Snider, M. (2006). Editorial: Urban parents’ perspectives on children’s mathematics learning and issues of equity in mathematics education. Mathematical Thinking and Learning, 8, 187-195.
  • Civil, M., Planas, N., & Quintos, B.(2005). Immigrant parents’ perspectives on their children’s mathematics. Zentralblatt für Didaktik der Mathematik, 37(2), 81-89.
  • Martin, D. B. (2006). Mathematics Learning and Participation as Racialized Forms of Experience: African American Parents Speak on the Struggle for Mathematics Literacy. Mathematical Thinking and Learning, 8, 197–229.

    Homework: “Refresh your memory” on readings for day 2

    Day 2
    FUNDS Of KNOWLEDGE
    Facilitator: Carmen Mercado

    Readings:

  • González, N., Andrade, R., Civil, M., & Moll, L.C. (2001).Bridging funds of distributed knowledge: Creating zones of practices in mathematics. Journal of Education for Students Placed at Risk, 6, 115-132.
  • Mercado, C. I. (2005). Seeing what it’s there: Language and literacy funds of knowledge in New York Puerto Rican homes. In A. C. Zentella (Ed.), Building on Strength: Language and literacy in Latino families and communities (pp. 134-147). New York: Teachers College Columbia University Press.
  • Rios, A. (2006). Exploring the everyday practices in Latino families: Summary of data. Working paper.

    Homework: Fellows will be assigned to small groups to discuss 2 to 3 interviews from across the four sites; read those interview transcripts to come prepared to discuss them the next day.

    Day 3
    SMALL-GROUP WORK: ANALYSIS OF INTERVIEWS IN SMALL GROUPS
    Fellows will display key themes from their discussion on chart paper as well as generate questions (based in part on the data from the interviews) to pose to the parents in the panel the next day.
    Facilitators: José María Menéndez Gómez, Marta Civil, and Martha Allexsaht-Snider

    Day 4
    PARENT PANEL
    Facilitators: Beatriz Quintos-Alonso and Martha Allexsaht-Snider

    Homework: “Refresh your memory” on readings for Day 5

    Day 5
    FAMILIES IN ACTION:PARENTAL PARTICIPATION IN TEACHING AND LEARNING MATHEMATICS
    Facilitators: Marta Civil and José María Menéndez Gómez

    Readings:

  • Civil, M. & Bernier, E. (2006). Exploring images of parental participation in mathematics education: Challenges and possibilities. Mathematical Thinking and Learning, 8(3), 309-330.
  • Civil, M. & Quintos, B. (2008). Latina Mothers’ Perceptions about the Teaching and Learning of Mathematics: Implications for Parental Participation. In B. Greer, S. Mukhopadhyay, S. Nelson-Barber, & A. Powell (Eds.) (in preparation) Culturally responsive mathematics education. New York: Routledge.