Pam Seda - Choosing to See: A Framework for Equity in the Math Classroom

A provocative and practical read! Seda and Brown provide an opportunity for us to examine our own practices and beliefs and engage in transformative discussions with colleagues around equity in the mathematics classroom through the seven principles of the ICUCARE equity framework. Seda and Brown remind us that equity is not a destination but a journey we take together with our students, their families, and our colleagues.

Dr. Trena L. Wilkerson, professor, Department of Curriculum and Instruction, Baylor University, president, NCTM

Too often, equity in mathematics education is positioned primarily as theoretical and heart work. I appreciate how Drs. Seda and Brown present the ICUCARE equity framework as tangible work based on strong theoretical grounding.

Robert Q. Berry III, PhD, Samuel Braley Gray professor of Mathematics Education, associate dean of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, University of Virginias School of Education and Human Development

This book uses an ethic of care to offer teachers a set of principles that can be used to provide all children, especially those from historically excluded backgrounds, with culturally relevant mathematics education. Its one thing to embrace Standards for Mathematics Practices (SMP) but quite another to see the human potential of minoritized children and teach them in ways that ensure they actually succeed. The authors of this book share rich personal stories that not only help teachers to see their students but to also perceive who they are and what they can become.

Jacqueline Leonard, professor of Mathematics Education, University of Wyoming

This book helps close the gap between recognizing that we can do more to make math classrooms equitable and actually having a plan for how to do it. Pamela and Kyndall are respected leaders in the mathematics education community and help unpack the problems we may not be aware of as well as solutions for addressing them.

Robert Kaplinsky, author of Open Middle Math

This is an excellent resource that provides teachers and teacher leaders with timely scholarly literature, opportunities for self-reflection (we must truly see in order to do), and a framework for taking action.

Shelly M. Jones, PhD, professor of Mathematics Education, Central Connecticut State University; president-elect, Benjamin Banneker Association

Choosing to See is a wonderful resource for new and veteran teachers alike. With authentic vignettes, explicit strategies, and a wealth of research, the book is an essential addition to the library of any teacher committed to addressing and preventing inequities in the mathematics classroom.

Julie C. McNamara, PhD, associate professor, Teacher Education Department, CSU-East Bay

Choosing to See is the emotional and spiritual journey that all math educators need to embark on wholeheartedly. The book is a timely primer that takes the deep and complex issue of race and systemic bias in the mathematical experiences of Black students and presents them with unflinching clarity and candor.

Sunil Singh, author of Pi of Life

No matter where you are in your own journey to becoming a student of your students, you will find inspiration in stories from the hearts of teachers and find clear, actionable ideas about routes to take and stops to make along the way.

Shawn Towle, mathematics teacher, Falmouth Middle School, Falmouth Maine

Choosing to See is more than just another book about equity in mathematics. Seda and Browns ICUCARE framework helps educators understand why something is an equity issue and how to take action to change the narrative.

John W. Staley, PhD, Baltimore County Public Schools

This timely book provides guidance for mathematics teachers and teacher educators who want to learn how to enact equity in mathematics classrooms. Building on research, stories, and professional expertise, the chapters illustrate how to notice students strengths, reflect on power dynamics, and enact a caring pedagogy.

Judit Moschkovich, professor, Mathematics Education, University of California, Santa Cruz

Pamela Seda and Kyndall Brown share personal stories and a compelling call to action to truly see students for who they are, to understand students cultural backgrounds and identify their strengths, and to erase the effects of negative stereotypes on the educational outcomes of marginalized students.

Mona Toncheff, president, NCSM

Pamela Seda and Kyndall Brown introduce the ICUCARE framework, which moves beyond talking the talk of equity and social justice and provides a pathway for teachers to walk the walk. This framework also empowers students to exercise their agency as creators and doers of mathematics. Perhaps most important, Seda and Brown confront and disempower deficit framings and stereotypes that have been imposed on many students.

Danny Bernard Martin, University of Illinois at Chicago

Pamela Seda and Kyndall Brown not only make us conscious of what we dont see, they provide a wonderful and enlightening roadmapICUCAREfor overcoming our functional hypocrisy with meaningful and practical actions for our classroom, our teacher teams, our school, and most importantly our students.

Timothy D. Kanold, PhD

In Choosing to See, Pamela Seda and Kyndall Brown return our eyes to the powerful truth that teaching and learning require each of us to engage in genuine human exchanges. The ICUCARE framework empowers teachers to engage the schooling system to act in anti-racist, anti-othering ways.

Christopher S. Brownell, PhD, associate professor of Math and STEM Education, Fresno Pacific University

Choosing to See offers invaluable ideas and techniques for every facet of your practicesocial, pedagogical, mathematical, and more. Seda and Brown will transform the way you see your students inside your classroom and also the world outside your classroom.

Dan Meyer, chief academic officer, Desmos

As educators, we are continually looking to create a learning space where all students feel valued, but we have to be intentional. If were seeking to build a classroom culture that is as inclusive and diverse as the students we teach, this is the framework we need.

Graham Fletcher, Atlanta, GA, math specialist

A supportive guide to far more equitable teaching in which teachers arent blamed; they are given tools to be more self-reflective. Teachers arent assumed to be biased; they are taught to be far more socially conscious. And teachers who casually assert that they are color-blind are gently nudged to become color-conscious. I urge all teachers to add this accessible, practical, and informative book to their list of required reading.

Steve Leinwand, researcher, American Institutes for Research

This book provides multiple practical resources that can be implemented immediately. By following the tips and strategies in this book, one will improve their instructional practices, increase their students engagement, and learn to see the brilliance in every student.

Dr. Kristopher Childs, chief equity and social justice officer, Open Up Resources

This book provides the tools to help teachers look in the mirror as a part of their instructional regime, not only to see themselves but to provide a scaffold to observe their students in relationship to mathematics learning, the broader community, and culture.

William F. Tate IV, Education Foundation Distinguished Professor in Sociology, University of South Carolina-Columbia

Teachers, teacher educators, and leaders can use this book as part of their professional learning communities to position all students for success in mathematics classrooms. For many historically underserved student populations, success in mathematics still remains a dream. This book illuminates how to make that dream a reality.