Determining the Effectiveness of Collaboratively Designed and Implemented Cultural Curriculum on Classroom Pedagogy

Abstract

This study is part of an on-going line of research on effective mathematics instruction for Native American students in an urban area. The study is grounded on the research-based premise that culturally responsive methods of teaching will promote mathematics achievement of Native students. The primary goal of this study was to observe, record, and evaluate the process of developing an integrated geometry unit. The study was motivated by the fact that the underachievement of Native American students in mathematics has been historically and continuously a serious problem. In 2003, a National Assessment of Educational progress (NAEP) sample of 4th graders found the mathematics achievement gap between white and Native American student subgroups was significant (National Center for Educational Statistics, 2003). The school district in which the research was done initiated a mandatory policy requiring the successful completion of Algebra I and Geometry for high school graduation. This policy directly affected the high school completion of minority students. Specifically, a review of the district's achievement database indicated that, of 50 Native American sophomores, juniors, and seniors, only one had taken and successfully completed geometry. Why was this the case? Why were Native students not taking or successfully completing these basic math courses? Were the students simply not trying? Why weren't they trying? The study reported in this paper was conducted to begin to understand the cause of this problem and to begin to resolve it by developing a culturally responsive geometry unit.