Teaching Math for Social Justice

Teaching Mathematics for Social Justice (TMfSJ) is a methodology of teaching

where the avenue of which the mathematics curriculum is taught is through the
exploration of current social issues in students lives. TMfSJ is not about finding
What is TMfSJ? ways to integrate social justice issues into your already determined math
curriculum; it is about creating a social justice curriculum that contains issues
that are significant to your students and then carefully weaving the math
curriculum into it.
Teaching 7th grade math, I have noticed that my students often display a look of
boredom or discontent. I have heard comments like, When will I ever need to
know this?, Why is this important, or This doesnt matter for my life. It
pains me because I am passionate about math and its significance as students
Why is TMfSJ Important? navigate through childhood and adolescents and into adulthood. As a 7 th grade
math teacher, I attempt to incorporate real world and meaningful topics into my
curriculum, and find ways to make each and every lesson interesting to 7th
graders. However, creating imaginary problems for students to tackle is not the
same as making the math relevant, interesting, and significant to students lives.
A students identity is multidimensional. It includes their socio-economic status,
cultural background, gender, family background, and so much more. A students
identity plays a large role in their comfort level at school and also in the
mathematics classroom. All of their life experiences, including what they hear at
home, at school, or in the media, lead students to believing certain ideas about
themselves as mathematicians. All too often, my students enter 7th grade with a
predetermined idea that they are bad at math: especially students of color,
students in lower class families, and ESL students. These students tend to have
very low confidence levels in mathematics by the time they get to middle school
math class.
As teachers of mathematics, we need to find ways to push students view of
themselves as mathematicians. Mathematics identities continue to evolve. They
are not set in stone when a student reaches 7th grade. One research based way
to strive for this continuation of students mathematics identities is to engage
How does TMfSJ Relate to them with real-world, applicable social justice issues during math class. TMfSJ
Identity and Power? can give students a new found confidence in mathematics because it is different
than any mathematics that they have experienced in their classes thus far. When
utilizing TMfSJ there is not just one right or wrong answer, but instead, the goal
is for students to engage with social justice issues that are relevant to their lives
and use mathematics to understand, research, analyze, define, take stands, and
much more. Students learn quickly through these lessons that they do have a
place in the math classroom and they can be successful. TMfSJ also gives
students the power of activism. Activating students knowledge in these areas
will give them the confidence they need to make positive changes in our world.
Our students are our future. We need to equip them with the knowledge and
confidence to make a difference and TMfSJ is an avenue to do just that.
 TMfSJ Teacher Lesson Plan School Uniforms for Social Justice
*Note: This lesson plan extends for about 170 minutes and may need to extend over a few days depending on
the length of your math class.
CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.7.SP.A.2
Standard:
Use data [from a random sample] to draw inferences about a population with an
unknown characteristic of interest.
Students will be able to extract information from multiple resources in order to
take a position either for or against school uniforms and create an infographic
Objective: (alone or with a partner) including text, graphics, and data/statistics/ math
expressing their position.

Essential Questions:
Why do some schools require uniforms while others do not?
In what ways (both positive and negative) do school uniforms impact a school community?
Whats more affordable for families school uniforms or regular dress?
Do school uniforms impact the school culture dean referrals, bullying etc.?
Do school uniforms really impact an individuals rights?
Should schools require uniforms?

Activity (minutes): Description:

Do Now (3) Students answer the do now question in complete sentences independently.
What are you wearing to school today? Why are you wearing that? Be specific. Write
in complete sentences.
Discuss Do Now (5) Teacher cold calls a few students to share their answer to the do now. Teacher elicits
responses around students wearing school uniforms because it is mandatory in order to
set the stage for the lesson.
Hook (8) Browse through the tweets #schooluniforms with the person sitting next to you.
Discuss: What do you notice? What opinions are present? What ideas are being shared
about school uniforms? Do you see any gender biases or injustices present? Be ready to
share.
Discuss Hook (6) Teacher cold calls a few students to answer the questions:
What did you notice?
What opinions are present in the tweets?
What ideas are being shared about school uniforms?
Do you see any gender biases or injustices present?
Intro to Lesson (4) Teacher introduces lesson.
Today you are going to be putting on your statistician hats in order to take a stand on
school uniforms. Your goal by the end of the class is to answer the following question,
Should schools require uniforms? You will need to back up your answer with
mathematics. You may work alone or with one other person for this project.

Sample Due tomorrow by the end of class, is an infographic supporting your claim. Your
Infographics (10) infographic will need to include text and visuals and of course mathematics presenting
 your stand on school uniforms. Take a few minutes to view the sample infographics.

http://www.onlineeducation.net/2013/01/21/facebooking-your-parents
http://visual.ly/then-now-same-camping-gear-essentials-better

Turn and talk with your partner. Teacher cold calls for responses.
Which infographic was the best? Why?

What made them interesting, content or design? Or both?

How did the use of fonts, color, graphics, and imagery contribute?
Did the design contribute to how you felt about the information?
How do I make an Teacher shows students the website that they will use in order create an infographic.
Infographic? (6) https://magic.piktochart.com

Rubric (5) This assignment will be worth ten points in your formative assessment category. Thats
the same as a quiz! Lets take a look at what you will be graded on.
Work Time (100) Students will use the time remaining as work time to browse through resources on
school uniforms, take a stand on school uniforms, and create their infographic
displaying their position.

Resources:
(Use at least two to create your infographic.)
http://school-uniforms.procon.org/
http://whatowearschooluniforms.weebly.com/safety.html
http://www.unr.edu/nevada-today/news/2013/school-uniform-study
http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2005/01/12/18uniform.h24.html
https://www.creditdonkey.com/school-uniform-statistics.html
http://www.naesp.org/national-survey-school-leaders-reveals-2013-school-uniform-
trends
http://www.ithaca.edu/wise/school_uniforms/
http://www.cleveland19.com/story/4356460/study-says-school-uniforms-might-help-
attendance-graduation-rates
http://www.ourfamilyworld.com/2015/12/02/school-uniforms-and-bullying-statistics-
they-dont-want-you-to-see/
http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/national-survey-of-school-leaders-reveals-
2013-school-uniform-trends-217759891.html
http://www.publicschoolreview.com/blog/public-school-uniforms-the-pros-and-cons-
for-your-child
http://www.classroomuniforms.com/content/c15557-cost-of-school-uniforms
http://education.costhelper.com/school-uniforms.html

Gallery Walk (20) Teacher hangs projects around the room or another large area and students walk
around silently to view/read their peers infographics.
 School Uniforms Infographic Rubric Should schools require uniforms?

As you plan out design, ask and answer questions like:

1. Which information, facts, and data are essential to include? Which arent?
2. What colors and layout works best in sharing the information?
3. What graphs and graphics best convey information and data to the viewer?
4. What is the order, or flow, of information?

0 points 1 point 2 points

Infographic presents a vague
position either for or against
school uniforms or does not
present a position at all.
Infographic includes very little or
no text that supports position on
school uniforms.
Infographic includes one or no
graphics that supports position on
school uniforms.
Infographic includes very little or
no data, statistics, and
mathematics that supports
position on school uniforms.
Infographic is unorganized and
hard to read.
Infographic presents a position
either for or against school
uniforms.
Infographic includes some text that
supports position on school
uniforms.
Infographic includes a few graphics
that support position on school
uniforms.
Infographic includes some data,
statistics, and mathematics that
support position on school
uniforms.
Infographic is partially organized
and fairly easy to read.
Overall, infographic presents a
strong position either for or
against school uniforms.
Infographic includes text that
strongly supports position on
school uniforms.
Infographic includes several
graphics that strongly supports
position on school uniforms.
Infographic includes data,
statistics, and mathematics that
strongly support position on school
uniforms.
Infographic is very organized and
easy to read.

Total _____ out of 10