[Maths-Education] Re: Research and teacher practices for 'working class' underachievement in secondary mathematics

[Alan Rogerson]

Dear Phillip,

The link:

  http://www.independent.co.uk/news/education/education-news/social-class-determines-childs-success-934240.html

  makes depressing reading: eg

Children's social class is still the most significant factor in 
determining their exam success in state schools, the Government's head 
of teacher training acknowledges today. In an interview with The 
Independent, Graham Holley, the chief executive of the Training and 
Development Agency, said: "The performance of a school and a child in it 
is highly linked to social class. If you turn the clock back on pupils 
in school today 15 years and predict their outcomes from where they were 
born, you can do it. We need to change that. It's not something this 
government has done. It's not something the last government has done. 
It's something that has been there since the Second World War and 
probably even before that."

There is no "probably" (Graham was simply restricting his comments to 
his own experience) the right word is "inevitably".

As you will recall, I told you of my experiences of working class 
culture growing up after WW2, and sadly and clearly the problem is still 
with us, and in no way is it restricted to mathematics! We are speaking 
here of the strength of exclusive social/cultural world-views derived 
from primary socialisation,... "give us a child until he is 11"..... etc.

Best wishes,
Alan




On 18/02/2011 15:08, Phillip Kent wrote:
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> Dear colleagues,
>
> I'd appreciate some pointers to research and guidance on dealing with
> the problem of 'working class' underachievement in maths in secondary
> school. I realise there is a huge literature on this, in terms of
> statistical analysis on the existence of the problem, sociological-type
> analysis of classroom behaviours (a la Bernstein, etc), and research on
> teachers' beliefs about 'ability' and so on.
>
> However, I'm specifically interested in any research/guidance about what
> is effective for maths teachers to do in practice in classrooms. There
> is a very familiar type of student who for 'social' reasons comes to
> construct for him or herself an identity as someone who 'can't do
> maths', which is not related to his or her actual mathematical
> potential. Then how should the teacher break through this identity to
> tap into the actual potential and interest?
>
> Perhaps I am wrong to see this as essentially a problem of 'class'. Any
> thoughts welcome.
>
> - Phillip
>