How can math teachers build an inclusive classroom culture so that diverse learners feel safe taking intellectual risks?
This past summer, as part of a Strategic Impact grant (now called Leading for Equity grants) awarded by the Berkeley Public Schools Fund, veteran King Teacher-leader Geeta Makhija led a cohort of BUSD middle school teachers in exploring this very question.
Using the anchor text Asked and Answered: Dialogues On Advocating For Students of Color in Mathematics, BUSD middle school math teachers from across the district studied, discussed, and are currently implementing new strategies. One promising practice includes leading with welcoming and anti-bias/anti-bullying language, while another involves using student surveys to ask students directly if they feel seen, heard, and valued in class.
The Schools Fund, armed with a new mission, is committed to lifting up equity practices at all levels of BUSD. We are grateful to Geeta’s leadership for digging deeply into reflective practice so that all students can access a great Berkeley public education.
