Culturally Responsive Mathematics and Curriculum Materials: Present Realities and Imagined Futures

Abstract

This study applies a culturally responsive lens to the analysis of middle school (i.e., grades for students aged 11–13) mathematics curriculum materials. Based on previous conceptual frameworks that describe Culturally Responsive Mathematics (CRM) as a multidimensional construct, we developed a tool, the CRM Materials Evidence Tool (CRM-MET), to indicate the extent of explicit guidance within written curriculum materials toward different dimensions of CRM. Six sets of middle school curriculum materials were analyzed using the CRM-MET, with results demonstrating distinct differences in how these materials attended to different dimensions of CRM. This analysis also indicated that there are notable gaps across all analyzed curricula, especially regarding more critical dimensions of CRM focused on power and participation. These results suggest that systems aimed at supporting teachers’ orientation toward and implementation of CRM can benefit from curriculum materials, but that the standardized nature of curriculum may also constrain the role of such materials in supporting CRM. We provide suggestions around how curriculum designers and school leaders might use curriculum strategically to support CRM given these findings, while recognizing policy constraints that may challenge such efforts.