Culturally sustaining education is an approach to teaching that centers and values students’ identities, particularly their cultural and linguistic backgrounds through pedagogies that meaningfully acknowledge, affirm and incorporate these into classroom experiences while holding high expectations for their academic learning. Beatriz Quintos, principal investigator of the National Science Foundation project, Together Juntos1 and director of the Post-Baccalaureate Certificate in Equitable Mathematics Education Leadership, encourages educators to engage in culturally sustaining education by tapping into students’ families’ “funds of knowledge", the cultural and linguistic knowledge from students’ families and communities.
Culturally sustaining pedagogies are particularly crucial for immigrant students, whose cultural and linguistic backgrounds are often marginalized. As Quintos points out, some teachers may overlook the knowledge immigrant students bring because it is different from their own approaches to doing mathematics (Civil, M., & Quintos, B. 2022). Unfortunately, this can not only hinder students’ learning but also their parents' or caregivers' ability to engage and support their learning at home. In this issue of Office Hours, Quintos shares insights on how educators can tap into these “funds of knowledge” to transform their teaching and learning in their classrooms.
1.Collaborate with students’ families or guardians.
One of the key elements of culturally sustaining education is viewing families or guardians as collaborators. Beatriz Quintos points out that conventional education dynamics often create inequitable power imbalances between families and educators, resulting in a lack of productive collaboration: “Teachers want to give resources to families, instead of learning from them. So they’re thinking how they can help the families, rather than [also considering] how families can collaborate with them. This often stems from a deficit perspective of the child and their family,” she says. Quintos suggests that one way to disrupt the positioning of the teacher as the only expert is to rehumanize their interactions. She reminds us, “You can be an expert in some things, but caregivers are experts in their children and their best advocates.” Despite the many constraints that often exist in schools, there are many ways for teachers to connect with the community on a deeper level. Events like learning walks (guided observations for parents) or parent-teacher conferences, are opportunities to listen and learn from them. For example, teachers can start by asking questions such as, “What do you want me to know about your student or family? What are the best ways your student learns? These exchanges enhance collaboration when they are two-way conversations. Where teachers gain insight into the everyday mathematics students engage at home and in their communities. Whether budgeting, planning transportation, or watching a basketball game, all students’ are exposed to math in their daily lives. By learning about what students’ families do after school or over the weekends, for work or leisure, teachers can incorporate this real-world knowledge to give life to their lessons.
2. Acknowledge and affirm different ways of doing mathematics.
Contrary to the common belief, mathematics is not a universal language. Mathematics is influenced by the cultural practices of a country or community, their language, and context. Allowing students to incorporate math knowledge from their families and cultural experiences is essential to fostering equitable math classrooms. This begins with regularly acknowledging that there are many ways to approach and solve math problems, while refraining from the tendency to elevate one method over others. The goal is to expand students’ conceptual understanding without devaluing or erasing processes that they may have learned in their home or home countries. Beatriz Quintos reminds us, the most effective way to solve a mathematical problem is simply “what makes sense to the person” solving it.
3. Identify and Leverage the Mathematical and Linguistic Strengths of Your Students
In many classrooms, multilingual students are often unintentionally positioned as less competent than their peers. For example, phrases like, “Can you help [the multilingual student’s name] so they understand the problem?” can create the perception that this student is less capable of engaging with math. While these well-meaning efforts aim to offer support, they can weaken students’ mathematics identities. Instead, emphasize collaborative structures and highlight their bilingual “super powers,” and mathematical thinking. For example, “Knowing how to describe this shape in two languages helps all of us better understand its characteristics.” Another common practice is that teachers focus primarily on procedures or dilute the content to accommodate their perceived language needs. Math learning requires all students to engage in rich discourse, listen and talk, read and write, to develop their conceptual understanding. Caring for students is a vital first step, but the next crucial step is advocating for equitable education opportunities that respond to the communities’ aspirations and potential.
Beatriz Quintos urges educators to harness the power of mathematics as a gateway to transform relationships, as a language and a practice that can elevate students’ cultures and identities.
If you are a Prince George’s County elementary or middle grades educator interested in learning equitable and culturally responsive-sustaining pedagogies in your mathematics instruction, please visit here to learn more about the Post-Baccalaureate Certificate in Equitable Mathematics Education Leadership. For materials to facilitate sessions with parents or teachers and parents from Together Math, please Together Math’s Professional Learning Materials website.
Download this learning aid as a reminder of these tips.
1This work was funded by the National Science Foundation under grant DRL-2010417; DRL-2010260; DRL-2010230. The views expressed are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of NSF.