Junior High School Teachers' Perceptions of Math Instruction for African American Students

• Main Author: Richardson, Sandra Denise
• Format: Others
• Language: en
• Published: ScholarWorks 2016
• Subjects: 8th Grade; Achievement gap; African American students; Co-teaching; Mathematics; Professional development; Education; Science and Mathematics Education
• Online Access: https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/dissertations/3001; https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=4104&context=dissertations

A mathematics achievement gap exists between 8th grade African American students and other ethnic groups. Guided by the conceptual framework of constructivism, the purpose of this case study was to examine 8, Grade 8 math teachers' perceptions of factors contributing to mathematical performance gap in their African American students and what instructional strategies can be used to help reduce the achievement gap in southwest Georgia. Data were obtained through interviews and classroom observations and were coded and analyzed using typological analysis, followed by inductive analysis. The results of the data revealed teachers perceived recruiting and retaining African American teachers and providing professional development on the various co-teaching strategies, could help lower the achievement gap between African American students and other ethnic groups in the area of mathematics. Based on the findings, a professional development plan was created which addressed co-teaching, aligning instruction to the needs of African American students' culture, and implementing different instructional strategies in the math classroom. The implementation of this project may contribute toward positive social change by helping teachers support 8th grade African American students' performance in mathematics thus improving math achievement.