The is very right to bring attention of sociopolitical turn in mathematics education since it has been there insignificantly with less attention put to it by education researchers .To my view, this is why most of African scholars are living abroad for fear of their lives in case of airing their views. Earlier they lived in exile , likes of professor Ngugi wa thiong'o of Kenya and Chinua Achebe of Nigeria . These people never lived in their countries most of their lives for fear of political persecution due to their divergent thoughts towards education. In some African countries even national examinations are tampered with to reward loyalists politically.
Rochelle Gutierrez [2002] moved beyond sociocultural view to espouse on sociopolitical concept and theories highlighting identity and power at play. The writer considered race, ethnicity, equity,and diversity in bringing new possibility for relationship between people , mathematics and the globe. This in general should be embraced by all teachers taking into account on how to handle learners in war torn areas. Africa, the political class live in denial never to accept defeat and would cling in power, send teachers in such volatile places. In Kenya , we have got mobile schools following nomadic tribes but of late it turned to be following cattle rustlers. Learners, especially ones in secondary schools are armed and would respond to a distress call any moment in the middle of a lesson from their kinsmen looking after cattle when attacked. Teachers are supposed to be in a position to handle such situations. In most African countries during election , school children and their teachers could be caught in stampedes when police with tear gas , at times live bullets trying to stop demonstrations and gatherings.
Rochelle Gutierrez also pointed out that mathematical critical thinking approach enlighten sociopolitical ideologies when the learners are allowed to discover their political position in the society. She advises teachers to use problem posing approach to let students reflect and find their position.This leads them to political awareness as said by Frankenstein [1989,1990,1995,2009] , Powell and Brantlinger [2008], Skovsmose [1994,2004]. The knowledge shall equip teachers to develop conscientizacao in their students, meaning critical thinking produced through ones ability to analyze society from a political point of view . The views incorporate ones identity and being able to identify injustices in the world.
Sociopolitical in Mathematics, translate to making sense of data to help see the humanity behind numbers and use this to expose and analyze injustices in the society , therefore convince others to a particular view.The frequent rigging of election in most African countries should come to end with the coming generation if they continue in the direction of sociopolitical turn in mathematics education.
Question:
By use of examples , state situations as teacher you can bring to an end of social injustice in the learning environment .
I don't know that teachers can put an end to social injustice in a learning environment as they themselves experience social injustice from the system. Also, students have so many influences that impact their learning in an environment. I think and hope that teachers can raise social conscienceness as a way to help students find their positioning in relation to the world.
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