5: Renewing the Conversation about Gender Equity in Teacher Education

The National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) has provided direction for refining and improving mathematics education since 1920. In terms of equity, NCTM has made clear recommendations, especially in the Principles and Standards for School Mathematics (NCTM, 2000) in which equity is included as the first of six principles for the teaching and learning of mathematics. The Equity Principle recommends that teachers provide challenges, opportunities, access to technology, and support for students to learn mathematics. Central to this principle are teachers’ high expectations for all students. However, several groups of students, including “students who live in poverty, students who are not native speakers of English, students with disabilities, females, and many nonwhite students” (p. 13), historically have experienced low expectations. These low expectations are often reflected in many students’ perceptions of self in terms of mathematical achievement and affect.