Synopses & Reviews
All over the world, in all eras of history, people have developed mathematical ideas to meet their needs and interests. They count objects, measure quantities, invent calendars, plan buildings, design works of art, and even play games involving math. Although each society solves these problems in its own way, the concepts are common to all.
Claudia Zaslavsky's new book introduces a multi- cultural perspective to the elementary and middle grade math curriculum, revealing how such a perspective can enrich the learning of all students-whatever their gender, ethnic/racial heritage, or socioeconomic status. Students learn that mathematics was created by real people attempting to solve real problems. They're asked to solve the same kinds of problems and to extend their problem solving skills to issues within their communities.
Zaslavsky begins by presenting a rationale for multicultural math education and describing the work of several educators. Then, she focuses on the activities themselves, providing practical suggestions and real life applications. Children have the opportunity to learn counting words in different languages and locations of the societies under discussion. The book provides background information on each topic's history and development, as well as references for both teachers and students.
The Multicultural Math Classroom inspires cooperation, creativity, and critical thinking. Students of diverse interests and achievement levels will take pride in the contributions of their people and learn to appreciate the accomplishments of others.
Review
Filled with many quality teaching ideas that will help teachers add new multicultural dimensions to their mathematics teaching.Rethinking Schools
Synopsis
The Multicultural Math Classroom inspires cooperation, creativity, and critical thinking.
Synopsis
The Multicultural Math Classroom inspires cooperation, creativity, and critical thinking.
About the Author
Claudia Zaslavsky has taught mathematics at many levels, from middle grades to graduate courses for teachers. Her years of experience in the Greenburgh Central Seven school district in New York State, where busing for integration was established in 1951, led to her investigation into the evolution of mathematical ideas in Africa. The result was the book Africa Counts: Number and Pattern in African Culture, first published in 1973 and now a classic in paperback.
Table of Contents
Overview of Multicultural Mathematics Education
Multicultural Mathematics Curriculum
The Mathematics-Literature Connection
Counting with Fingers and Words
Numerals: Symbols for Numbers
Recording and Calculating: Tallies, Knots, and Beads
How People Use Numbers
Geometry and Measurement in Architecture
Geometry, Measurement, and Symmetry in Art
Data Analysis and the Culture of the Community
Games of Many Cultures
Multicultural Mathematics Education in Practice