A Feminist approach to A Feminist approach to teaching linear teaching linear programmingprogramming

What What notnot to do . . . to do . . .

What’s wrong with this What’s wrong with this picture?picture?

Why is this a gender Why is this a gender issue?issue?

“ . . . Women [are] predisposed to be connected knowers . . . separate knowing [is] more prevalent in male populations. Mathematics has traditionally been taught in a manner more consistent with separate knowing: stressing deductive proof, absolute truth, and certainty; using algorithms; and emphasizing abstraction, logic, and rigor . . . our teaching needs to include more intuition and experience; conjecture, generalization, and induction; creativity; and context.” (Jacobs, Becker, 1997)

Reinventing the LessonReinventing the Lesson

How can we “include more intuition and experience; conjecture, generalization, and

induction; creativity; and context?”

How can we get students to be independent learners by hearing their “inner voice” and

trusting their intuition?

How can we “demystify” mathematics and make it more approachable for all learners?

Try This . . .Try This . . .

Distribute one piece of paper to each member of your group.

Slips may only be read aloud, you may not show your slip to anyone.

As a group identify what the constraints are for your context

Identify what the “best case scenario” would be for this context.

Don’t worry about using mathematical jargon, just try to use “common sense.”

ConstraintsConstraints

Constraints are the limits on what’s possible in a given situation

They’re like the rules of the road you have to follow

Time is almost up!Time is almost up!

Get your ducks in a row!

What did you deduce?What did you deduce?

Next . . .Next . . .

What information in the problem is relevant to each constraint?

What information is relevant to your “best case scenario?”

Try to describe your constraints using words and symbols like “<“

What kinds of questions may What kinds of questions may arise from these situations? arise from these situations?

(What do you wonder?)(What do you wonder?)

What What toto do do

Why is this better?Why is this better?

“ . . . The professor creates a climate of confidence in which learning is meaningful for the students . . . Favours active participation . . . Empowers students . . . Is a guide and helps students to learn according to the objectives they have defined themselves.” (Solar, 1995)

Conclusion Conclusion

“At the core of feminist pedagogy is a re-imaging of the classroom as a community of learners where there is both autonomy of self and mutuality with others that is congruent with the developmental needs of both women and men” (Shrewsbury, 1993, p. 12).

ReferencesReferences

Freire, P. (1970). Pedagogy of the oppressed. New York, NY: The Continuum International Publishing Group Inc.

Jacobs, J. E., & Becker, J. R. (1997). Creating a gender-equitable multicultural classroom using feminist pedagogy. Yearbook (National Council of Teachers of Mathematics) , 107-114.

Kellermeier, J. (1996). Feminist pedagogy in teaching general education mathematics: Creating the riskable classroom. Feminist Teacher, 10(1), 8-11.

Shrewsbury, C. (1993). What is feminist pedagogy? Women’s Studies Quarterly, 21(3/4), 8-16.

Solar, C. (1995, April). An inclusive pedagogy in mathematics education. Educational Studies in Mathematics, 28(3), 311-333.