Math Mates
● What things are you really good at? Out of school? In school?
● What do you like to do after school? What kinds of things do you like to do at home?
● What are your favorite things to do in school? Favorite subjects?
● What do you like to do at recess?
Questions about Students Home and Community Knowledge Bases and Resources:
● If I was going to walk from the school to your house, what are some things/places that I would see? (This gives you insights into the places that they pay attention to, what they are familiar with, what they notice, etc.)
● What are some places, besides your house, that you like to go after school?
● Where do you like to go with family/friends? What are some places in the community that you like to go to with your family? What do you do there? For example, where do you like to go on the weekends with your family? (This can include places such as the grocery store or other shopping.)
● What kinds of things do you do with family/friends at home – both regular routines (cooking) and things you enjoy (games)?
● What are some places close to our school that you have been to? What do you do at those places? (Can you think of any other places close to our school? Have you ever been to those places? What do people do there? What do you do there?)
● Can you think of any places in your community where people do math or use math? What about your family members, where do they use math? Where do they do math?
Questions about Students’ Ideas/Dispositions Related to Math:
● What are some things in math that you are really good at? What is something in math that you are not as good at? How do you know?
● What are some things in math that you really like? What about math do you not like?
● Do you think it is important to learn math? Why do you think it important to learn math?
● How would you describe what math is? (e.g. describe to younger sibling, or contrast it with another school subject)
● Who do you know that is good in math (in general, in class)? How do you know? What makes them good?
● Why do you think it is hard for some people to learn math?
● How do you use math outside of school?
● Who helps you with math if you get stuck in class? How about home? How do they help?
● Have you learned math in a different school? Country? How was it similar or different?
In a paper of one to three pages, please respond to EACH of the prompts.
A. Introduce your student (using a pseudonym): Include age, grade, gender, race/ethnicity, family background, home language(s), etc. Explain why you selected this student (and compare/contrast the students’ background with yours, noting the socio-cultural difference/s between you two). This part is intended to be an introduction only. (1 paragraph)
B. Learning about Student. What did you learn about your student that you did not know before? More specifically:
● what did you learn about your student’s competencies, interests, and activities,
● the student’s ideas/dispositions towards mathematics,
● and the student’s family and/or community based knowledge and experiences?
● Where in the student’s community might provide a good site for exploring math?
C. Learning about Self. What did you learn about yourself in this process?
● Were any of your assumptions about students, their activities/interests, their communities/families, and their ideas/dispositions about math affirmed and/or challenged by this process?
