Our publications, and those of our TERC colleagues featured on this page, look at some of the opportunities and challenges of reaching diverse learners in the standards-based classroom. Though geared towards teachers implementing standards-based mathematics curricula, these publications are also of benefit to anyone concerned about equity in the classroom.

In addition to articles on equity in education, this page contains links to professional development workshops we have created. These workshops are appropriate for use by themselves or as part of on-going teacher professional development. If you are a staff developer or equity specialist they may be of particular interest to you.

Please visit this page again to read future publications.

Equity Checklist for the Standards-Based Classroom
by Christina Perez

This checklist can be used as a tool to help teachers reflect on and improve their classroom practices. It covers areas such as feedback, problem solving strategies, technology, and bias.

The Home-School Connection
The Weaving Gender Equity into Math Reform project at TERC has created a one and one-half hour workshop session on the home-school connection, equity, and mathematics that is appropriate for use as a professional development tool with teachers, staff developers, after-school program providers, and other educators who work with parents. One goal of this session is to help teachers understand parents'/caregivers' realities and that parents (defined broadly) want to do what's best for their children. Participants will receive suggestions about mathematics activities that work best at home, and to help them see ways of using these activities. The third part of the session will help workshop participants educate parents about mathematics and the changing nature of math education.

Measuring Student Achievement: The Impact of Standardized Testing on Equity and Excellence in Mathematics

The Weaving Gender Equity into Math Reform project has created a one and one-half hour workshop session on standardized testing, math, and equity that is appropriate for use as a professional development tool for teachers and administrators. In this session, participants will: learn about the history of testing as well as the impact testing is having on teaching and learning; consider the reasons why we have standardized testing, what we can (and can't) learn from the tests, and some of the factors that influence how a student performs on such tests; discuss the equity implications resulting from the current trend toward testing; and look at ways to help students prepare for standardized tests.

Technology, Math, and Equity: A Professional Development Workshop for Teachers

This two-hour workshop session on technology, math, and equity is appropriate for use as a professional development tool for teachers and administrators. In this session, participants will: learn about ways that computers can support and enhance children's mathematics learning; gain experience using one software program - Tabletop Jr.™ - that supports thinking and reasoning about data, and that can be used in a variety of classroom situations; and consider ways to use their available computer resources equitably (so that all students have equal access to them) in the mathematics class.

What is Equity?: A Look into a Reform Math Classroom

This workshop session is intended to address equity related issues that surface in standards based reform mathematics classrooms. Issues of teacher and student learning are also addressed along with discussions around specific equity issues that participants face in their school and classroom environments. The beginning of the session asks participants to reflect on their own experiences in math class and to relate this to the experiences that their students face in reform-based mathematics classrooms. Then, they will consider specific equity issues that arise and brainstorm ways to work through these issues. A discussion around notions of equity and equality will follow. Finally, participants will be asked to create a plan of action and identify people with whom they will share their thinking and questions.

Equity in Math Cooperative Groups
by Hollee Freeman

This article explores cooperative groups in ways that support and conflict with issues of equity in mathematics classrooms. Many teachers in the standards-based math reform movement have re-thought classroom instruction in light of "every student on the same page at the same time". However, many of us are continually trying to answer the question: what does it really mean to have a math class where each student has access to the materials and thinking required in order to develop higher order thinking skills and mathematical understanding? Using cooperative groups has become commonplace yet many students are continuing to be denied access based on a variety of factors associated with groups. This article looks closely at this issue and offers recommendations for teachers.

Equity in the Standards-Based Elementary Mathematics Classroom
by Christina Perez

The standards-based curricula include several teaching methodologies and mathematical content strands not typically found in traditional elementary math classrooms. Many of these changes reflect the NCTM's commitment to making mathematics accessible to all students. But curriculum alone is not enough to close the gaps in achievement among students. The curriculum provides the supports for the mathematical content, but it is the teacher who must decide how to facilitate the learning of the material. Therefore, there are equity issues specific to standards-based mathematics classrooms that teachers should consider.

Facing Equity: Facing Ourselves
by Fred Gross

What are we doing to cause inequitable outcomes? Are we creating policies and programs based solely on assumptions about certain groups of students and their potential to learn? One way to uncover underlying assumptions and beliefs is to engage school faculty in a dialogue about equity. This article discusses some strategies for beginning such a dialogue, and recounts the experiences of one workshop leader as he facilitates discussions on equity.

Weaving Gender Equity Resource Guide
by Christina Perez

The Weaving Gender Equity Resource Guide is aimed toward both staff developers and teachers. It provides information on equity not only in general terms but also in areas related to standards-based mathematics. The guide contains: an annotated list of relevant research articles and books; an annotated list of relevant web sites and other electronic resources; a list of projects and organizations of interest; and a listing of equity workshops through the country.