Finish Strong, Start Stronger: 3 Equity Reflections to Shape Next Year’s Math Class

As the school year draws to a close, math teachers have a lot to do. It's a time of wrapping up assessments, finalizing grades, and celebrating achievements - all important tasks. But it's also a valuable opportunity for self-reflection: How did my classroom practices promote equity? Where might gaps still exist? And what intentions will I carry into the next school year to ensure every student feels seen, valued, and capable of deep mathematical thinking?

Equity in math education is not a one-time intervention or checklist item. It is a sustained commitment to removing barriers and building bridges for all learners. Here are three essential considerations for math teachers as they reflect on the year and prepare for the next school year.

1. Reflect on Student Engagement and Participation 

Who spoke up in class this year? Who led group discussions, asked questions, or solved problems at the board? More importantly, who didn’t?

Student engagement is one of the most telling indicators of whether a classroom culture is equitable. When only a subset of students consistently participates, it may reflect an unintentional pattern of exclusion. According to Dr. Rochelle Gutiérrez, equity in math classrooms requires "not just access to content, but also access to identity, agency, and belonging in the learning environment."1 

Key Actions We Can Take:

  • Analyze Participation Patterns: Review classroom observations, student workbooks, and records of participation. Did certain students dominate discussions while others remained silent? Were quieter students encouraged to share their thinking in ways that felt safe and supportive?
  • Gather Student Feedback: Use anonymous surveys to learn how students felt about participation. Were there times they wanted to contribute but didn’t? What held them back?
  • Plan for Inclusive Norms: Consider norms and routines that elevate every student’s voice. Next year, introduce structures like "Turn and Talk," "Visibly Random Grouping," or "Random Calling" to distribute opportunities to participate more equitably.2

Engagement doesn’t always look like hand-raising or speaking out loud. It can be written reflection, nonverbal communication, or collaboration in small groups. The goal is to recognize and value all forms of mathematical contribution.

2. Evaluate Curriculum Relevance 

The way math is taught - i.e. what problems are posed, whose experiences are referenced, etc. - deeply impacts students' sense of belonging. A curriculum that fails to reflect students' lived experiences risks alienating them from the subject entirely.

Reflect on the materials and examples used this year. Did they connect to the diverse experiences in our classrooms? Did they show how math is used in real-world contexts that matter to students? Did they highlight the usefulness of math for everyone?

According to a report by The Education Trust, students are more likely to engage in learning when they see their experiences reflected in the curriculum.3 

Key Actions We Can Take:

  • Audit Materials: Identify the experiences that are centered in math problems, projects, and visuals. Replace or revise items as needed.
  • Incorporate Real-World Math: Use data sets and scenarios that relate to students' lives - see many of the Math Medic free lessons as one example.4
  • Use Asset-Based Framing: Avoid deficit language and instead highlight the strengths, knowledge, and problem-solving strategies students bring to the classroom.

These shifts are not about reducing rigor. On the contrary, they deepen learning by making math more meaningful to every student.

3. Plan for Professional Growth and Collaboration

Improving equity is ongoing and collective. As educators, we must continuously reflect, learn, and adapt. This is especially true for math teachers, whose content often feels disconnected from equity conversations. But the two are inseparable.

Thinking about the professional learning experiences each of us engaged in this year, did they help make our classrooms more equitable places or was that lens missing? Remember, equity isn’t just about focusing on race or gender. Thinking about how economic and experiential inequities impact our students’ math identities is just as important. 

According to the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM), “Professional learning focused on equity... must be sustained over time, provide opportunities for collaboration, and focus on beliefs and practices that promote equitable outcomes for all students.”5 

Key Actions We Can Take:

  • Identify Equity Goals: Choose one or two focus areas for growth—such as inclusive groupwork, challenging tracking systems, or supporting multilingual learners.
  • Join or Create a PLC: Connect with colleagues who are also committed to equitable math instruction. Read together, observe each other’s classrooms, and share strategies.
  • Seek Out Training: Attend workshops or webinars (like those hosted by Math Medic Foundation each Spring6) that prioritize equitable practices.
  • Reflect with Colleagues: Avoid doing this work in isolation. Equity is relational, and our blind spots are best illuminated in dialogue with others.

We can also consider documenting our own equity journey. Write down questions that emerged this year, practices that felt effective, and moments when students surprised us. Reflection is not just an end-of-year activity, it's a habit that sustains and evolves our practice.

Moving Forward

The end of the school year is more than just a finish line. It’s a mirror. It invites us to look closely at what we did, what we learned, and what our students needed most from us. By centering equity in this reflection, math teachers can move beyond good intentions to intentional impact.

As we plan for next year, remember: Equitable classrooms are not built overnight. They are constructed moment by moment, choice by choice. Our willingness to reflect, revise, and reimagine is one of the most powerful tools we have!

 

 

Pete Grostic, Ph.D

Executive Director

Please join Math Medic Foundation in our mission to improve math outcomes for all. You can contact us to get involved or donate here.

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Sources:

1 Gutiérrez, R. (2013). The sociopolitical turn in mathematics education. Journal for Research in Mathematics Education.
2 Liljedahl, P. (2020). Building Thinking Classrooms in Mathematics, Grades K-12: 14 Teaching Practices for Enhancing Learning. Corwin.
3 Ed Trust Curriculum Report 2023
4 Math Medic Free Lessons
5 National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM). (2014). Principles to Actions: Ensuring Mathematical Success for All.
6 Math Medic Foundation Webinars
 

06/02/2025