This is a great idea. I also would not take it out of the classroom. It is important for students to see why they will use this content in the future. These students learn about these kind of materials in social studies, literature, and even in science. I do not understand why it is a big deal if they learn about it in math as well. Students should not be blind to the fact that their are still injustices happening in their own country.

This is a very good solution. This type of lesson would help students by making them more aware. If the teacher takes them away, he is only sheltering them from realities that they will eventually have to face. Respecting the parents is the key to helping them accept and understand the types of lessons that the teacher wants to use for his class.

I agree with you! This is a perfect opportunity to let students know how this would directly relate to their lives. Students love to ask that question and we as teachers should be able to produce an answer. This makes learning more meaningful to the students in your classroom. They want to know what they are learning will be useful to them or else they will feel like you are wasting their time. I think this teacher should definitely follow the principal's advice and send home the letter but do not take the easy way out on this one.

This is an awesome idea! I teach math myself and get asked everyday "When will I use this in real life?" and this is a great way of showing students real- life mathematics.

I agree with your idea to send an explanatory notice to the parents. However, I advise that prior to teaching the lesson again you send parents notice of the lesson before you begin teaching. That would enable parents to discuss the lesson with their children prior to coming to school. I would also make sure the parent notice explained why the lesson is relevant to meeting academic standards.

I also agree to just send home something to the parents. When a principal hires teachers, they usually see trust and views you as an amazing teacher. They should have your back in whatever you teach and however you teach it. AS long as you are sticking to the curriculum. I think involving real life issues and the world inside of learning how to graph is awesome, I think by the time students are heading toward middle school they begin to have a lot of mixed emotions and feelings. This way at least they begin to get the facts about situations instead of siding just because of skin color or peer pressure.

I agree that the teacher should not take the easy way. The students have to see how what they are learning is relevant to the real world. However, I do think that with conversational topics such as these it would be a good idea to send the parents a note stating what the lesson will be about, especially for elementary school students. If it were high school it may not be as big of a deal.

I disagree. I think that the students are way too young for this type of topic to be discussed. And what about the student who struggles in math? Because the class has diverted away from the true subject matter, and has begin to talk about gender-race equality in math class, that child who didn't really get the lesson in the first place is still confused because time that should have been spent ensuring his/her understanding, was spent talking about issues that should be discussed at an age when students can formulate their own opinion.

I agree with you. Just be honest with the parents. You "hit" some good points, connecting the material to real life and not making the data up. Facts are facts.

You bring up a great point that students often ask how what they are learning will be relevant in their adult lives. Exposing the students to such data may inspire them to bring about change for the better.

I agree that the teacher should not eliminate the content just because that is the easy thing to do. I like that you brought up that the teacher is simply presenting facts not opinionated biases. I think that the parents will be more understanding after an explanation is presented.

I agree that the content should not be removed. I think that a response to the parents would be appropriate to assure them that the math assignment is aligned with the curriculum and was designed to get the students engaged by making real world connections. This engagement is evidenced by their willingness to discuss the assignment at home. It is rare that I can get my children to discuss what they are doing in math class with more than a passing comment.

There is no purpose for just adding this information into a math lesson because you can. The students need to learn this but the best setting would be in a social sciences class where they can learn the historical and social contexts. Teach math without introducing information like this because it takes away from the real purpose for the lesson.

The ideas you suggested about how to deal with the situation are quite good. I would also suggest that you could mention to your principal about the importance of including multicultural education in all classrooms on a regular basis. Maybe you could suggest starting an Awareness Campaign for teachers, and you could be spotlighted briefly at each faculty meeting each week just to shed some light on the importance of this instruction. When we know better, we do better.

I completely agree. I am a math teacher and students use that question on me almost everyday. The fact that the students were still tuned into the material after school hours is a major mathematical accomplishment. I would push for the parents to understand and accept the content that he is teaching because it is working.

I love your idea of emphasizing real world connections, while also sharing the accuracy of the information. Perhaps the parents didn't know that the statistics were actually accurate; for parents of children in the underpaid subgroups, I would hope that they would be moved by the data. After all, pay inequality is something that could affect their own children. I certainly would not give up these materials without first fully explaining myself and why I felt that they were so important.

Applying real world connections to the information being taught to the students is helpful in retaining the information. I think the explanation should including that the teachers intentions where purely educational and informing for the students. The information was not falsely created and was generated through studies conducted by the U.S.

I agree. I think that anything worth doing is worth working for. I would send the explanation home. It may be a battle, but you believe it is a battle worth fighting for. I do too. These parents are obviously just lazy and don't want to have to have these "controversial" discussions with their kids. But in the long run they would end up blaming the teachers because their kids are ready for the real world. Do what you feel is right. Your principal didn't tell you not to which is a form of support.

I agree that you did not make the data so you are not to blame, however, you chose to use the data. I think there is plenty of data that could be used to teach this math lesson. Moreover, I believe it is important to use real world math problems. You could have children find data that they are interested in that you could use to teach.

I agree that you need to show the parents just how useful this information is and how it could help their children and hopefully they will be able to understand the reasons behind it.

A good way to help explain this to the parents is to refer them to the research and/or other resources that you utilized to integrate real-life content into your lessons. This can also be utilized to help reassure your administrators that what you are doing is objective and research-based.

I think using real world data is really important and a great way to get students interested in a subject that a lot of students do not like. I also think you could use a lot of different real life data to support you math standards to increase the interest of your students.

As long as the principal hasn't threatened the teacher, I would like the teacher to able to continue their unique incorporation of math and social structure. Maybe have an option for two lesson plans for the student's parents who don't care for it.

I agree with your solution completely. I like the idea of explaining to parents that students are using real world situations in their math activity. The data was found from a national magazine and was not created by the teacher. I do not see any harm in the activity.

I like the way you said that. You can't help the facts are facts! It would be different the teacher created the data and used it as a political platform to teach his beliefs, but he didn't. This is a real world problem that all students need to understand and not ignore. It seems like the parents need to come in a hear your lesson, too!

You have a really good point. When you send home the letter I would point out the real-life scenarios that you plan to use in your lesson.

"When are we going to use this in real life?" Is a great question but without this controversial data students do not see when they will use it. I would also not back down from this with an easy fight.

Educational programs train future teachers to make the content relate to what is going on in the real world. I agree that explaining this to parents may be helpful.

I really liked your suggestions. You are correct about the principals support. I he or she was not supportive of teaching the lesson you probably would have to scrap it. The suggestion of allowing children to research a career path of their choice to determine which economic outcome would be most appropriate for them is really great. It would give student an opportunity to learn about potential careers and hopefully would motivate them to select a career that would be both interesting and provide the best economic outlook.

I like your suggestions of having the students do some of their own research and discuss their findings. I think that equipping our students with as much experience in finding solutions to problems is a benefit! I agree that having the support of your principal is essential, and that explaining to your parents what your intentions are in a way that highlights creative problem solving will win most of them over.

I agree with you. The teacher used real facts. This does help the students be aware of them. It is a wonderful thing that the principal is standing with the teacher on this issue. I like the idea of letting the students research their own statistics based on their interests and then let them create their own solutions using math. Great post!

I love your suggestion on letting the students research their own interests to gather statistics that can be used in the curriculum. I also agree that it is a great chance to expose the students to actual real life situations in hopes that they can develop a solution. It is important to have a short discussion in which the topic is openly discussed to ensure there are no ill feelings being developed. You should include in your letter that you will to take steps to ensure that students are comfortable with the topics being discussed.

I agree that these types of issues should be brought to students attention. They are very real and at some point these students will have to face them. It is important for parents to understand where the teacher is coming from so informing the parents of why you are teaching in this way and why the students should hear about it. Allowing the students to look up statistics is a great idea because it allows them to do their own research.

I agree that this is great material to teach your students. I think it is also a great idea to allow your students time to research the results and maybe find results that conflict with the study you are presenting. It is a good idea to integrate all of the subject areas. -Kayla Mullins

These are real issues facing the world but they have little to do with mathematics.These are issues for social sciences classes where the students can gain the proper background information. This content takes away from your math lessons.

I love your solution to this problem. I agree that this information should not be taken out of your lesson because it is real information that is taking place in our world today. By doing so you are exposing your students to the real world. I also love the explanation that you would offer to your parents because it is true and I think once you explain yourself to your parents then they will understand as well. We do not need to sugarcoat the world to our students.

The principal's support is something that is so necessary for leading the fight to keep these materials. I think that a united front will really make a difference with these parents. After all, the data in these materials is so important, and, as you mentioned, we want the next generation to be able to fight pay inequality effectively. If they don't know about it, how can they fight it? In your explanation, I recommend explaining to parents that pay inequality is something that can affect their children, and you want to make sure they are prepared with the necessary knowledge to fight it.

I agree that this is something that should be taught to the students. I would not change this information but I would explain to the parents the reason you are teaching the students this at this age. The parents and the students need to know this will help prepare the students for what life gives to them in the future and will help them figure out problems they may face in their real lives.

Having the support of your principal is important. Keeping the discussion open with respect to their peers that way they can honestly express their thoughts for clarifying concerns and views. Like you suggested, maybe next time give the students the opportunity to do some research and find their own factual data to use for the purpose of the math lesson.

I loved your idea for involving the students in researching their own statistics. This would make the math instruction more meaningful and relevant to them, which can aid them in comprehending and retaining the material. By informing the parents of the resources and research you are using in the classroom, I think that the teacher can help to validate his or her instructional approach.

I like the idea of providing time for students to discuss the material presented. I think when they are able to discuss in a whole or small group they will feel more comfortable with the information.

I completely agree with your solution. Parents need to know that this is relating to the real world. In order for changes to take place, we need to educate our students with knowledge that will help them stand out and make a difference in the future. Possibly the parents that did not have a negative comment about the lesson probably thought it was great. We need to always stress to our parents they can comment on the bad and good alike. It is always great to hear things that they enjoy about the job we do for their children.

I have an issue and a suggestion for your solution. First the issue I have is; I'm not sure if the principle has this teacher's back. Yes, they did not ask him to teach new material but they also felt inclined to have him speak for his lessons when really this could be seen as unnecessary to many. I almost feel like if the principle really had his back s/he would help in taking a stand on the issue. And maybe I feel this way because I feel like they should back these methods but really that may not be the case. The other thing I'd like to add to your solution is an added suggestion.. with the route you took in addressing the parent why not invite the parents to come in some time? I think this would be a nice addition to your post.

I agree with your solution. By making thee kids see that these are problems in the work force and that they need to be changed. These issues cannot change if people are not aware. I also agree that I would not remove this material from my lesson.

I love your idea of having the students find the material on their own and grow from there. You had such great suggestions that allowed for everyone to continue with the curriculum in a respectful way.

I would not remove the content from the classroom, either. I think that it teaches the students real life content and shows that they can make a change in the world. The students can still work hard towards their goal in life. Everything that the teacher taught in the class are real facts.

Allowing students to complete their own research would be an excellent idea because they are responsible for the information they obtain. Also, I agree that it is imperative that our students understand uncomfortable issues because they will be the ones fixing these problems in the future. Also, ignorance will continue to breed social problems like these presented in the lessons.

I agree with you. When the teacher uses real-life facts it helps the students understand the material better. I really like the idea of having the students research their own statistics.

I think this would be a great lesson on social justice and inequalities because it could lead to relevant discussions. You could also have students think of things that could attribute to the differences in pay besides what was mentioned in the study. They could look for outside factors. For example, two people who have the same amount of experience, but one might have better references or worked for a more well known company previously? The students could discuss if there were other factors that could have attributed to the difference in pay. I would just try to mention that more than math was taking place in the classroom, and the teacher was trying to teach students how to investigate into material and how to have discussions with one another.

I agree that it may be helpful for parents to understand that these are issues that students can help change if they are aware of what is going on.

I like the idea of allowing students to research their own statistics. It gives students a personal stake in whatever information they propose.

i agree

I felt the same way about the kids enjoying the lesson. The fact they went home and told their parents about it means it was a great lesson. A letter to the parents may help clear this up and help them realize their students were excited about a school lesson.

I agreed about if the students enjoyed it then it must have been a good lesson. Comparing the differences of teaching the way he did or the way the parents want is an awesome way to show why you chose this type of lesson.

I also think it is wonderful that they went home to explain it to their parents. Around that age, children start to begin to stray away from telling their parents things and events that happen at school.. This shows the teacher it was an enjoyable lesson. I love when I know my students went home to explain what they have learned in class. RElating it back to their real life puts it into perspective for the students as they grow and decide what to do with their own lives.

great idea about how explaining how current real life information allows for more student engagement into lessons. Parents may see the importance when it is explained like. I do think having a face to face discussion with each parent that has concerns will mean more than just a letter or email.

I agree, I think that kids went home talking about this material because it interest them. Send parents a letter home on how beneficial these statistics are verses standard material. I like your solution and think it is a great idea.

It sounds like the students were engaged in this lesson enough to share it with their parents. The principal is okay with using this method as long as parents are informed. An explanation letter informing parents of incorporating social studies with math gives students real life applications.

You are correct that students are more engaged and willing to learn if they are being taught with real life scenarios. They want to learn more and have more lessons centered around real-world problems which math teachers are suppose to be doing based off the Common Core standards we have to follow now.

I agree with sending a not home that outlines what you are teaching. I don't think parents should have an issue with the data but could use it as a conversation piece with their kids. We can't shelter them from cold hard facts and it's not like these pieces of data are inappropriate.

I agree that it is very important to send home a lesson that explains the benefits.

The students enjoyed the lesson, so it makes sense to me that the students are more likely to retain information from lessons like this, as opposed to the more basic, just numbers kind of math. You are making an impact - stick to what you believe to be right!

That is a great idea. I would send home the content prior to teaching it so the parents can look up the resources themselves. I would also ask for suggestions, but I would not stop expanding my lessons because parents were not agreeing to my methods. It is important for the students to be well-rounded and I feel they will learn more in that class then expected.

I agree. I would allow the parents to see where I'm getting my information for it, and I will inform them of why it is important to highlight on world connections. Being knowledgeable about world connections allow students to be more aware of the world around them and make relevance of what they are learning.

This is a great way to think about it. We do need to expose children at a young age to the indifference of the world. By using real world text to do so makes it more meaningful!

I agree that the material presented allows students to make connections to the real world. It is always important to show students "why" they do certain things (especially in math). I think with principal support and parent understanding, this could be a great lesson for 5th graders.

I agree that you should first talk to the principal to get his advice. It is very imporatnt that you have support and that everyone is on the same page. I think your idea of sending a letter home would be a great thing to do. I also like that you are wanting to give the parents the option of whether they want their child to be involved in this or not. This makes them feel like they have some control and that their opinion matters.

I think that discussing the issue with the principal is a great idea and a good start to addressing this particular issue. I had not thought about giving the parents the option of deciding if they would want their child involved in lessons related to social justice issues. If you decided to take this route it is important to have other materials prepared for these students that allow them similar learning opportunities.

I also agree to discuss this issue with your principal and to provide the parents with information prior to the lesson. However, I am not so sure providing the students with an option to not participate in the lesson is a good idea. Although the issue of social injustice is not part of the mathematics curriculum, it is a good integration of social studies into the mathematics classroom. Integrating curriculum is a research supported strategy which enhances student learning. As long as the topic is supported in the social studies curriculum, students should be required to participate in the assignment. By allowing the students and parents an "out" will de-emphasize the importance of the understanding social injustices in any classroom, not just mathematics.

Making sure that the principal is aware of what you are doing is a great plan. Giving the parents the option to have their students participate will take away from the negative comments and disagreements about the content being taught.

I agree that having the support of your principal is very important. Perhaps he/she could help you write the explanation that will be sent home to the parents. However, I believe asking for the parents' consent is not necessary.

I also agree that the Principal needs to be aware of what is being taught and is supporting your decision to do so. I also agree that parents must be made aware of any content that is being taught ahead of time that many might find unnecessary or controversial. Parents need to be given the opportunity to remove their children from the class or at least have the chance to ask questions and receive clarification to make them more comfortable with the curriculum.

I agree that in cases like this you will need to make sure you have a good understanding of what the administrators in your school feel like should be done. Their opinions will determine how this situation will be handled.

I would definitely would go to the principle. I would let them know what was going on and that the parents were concerned. I think it is extremely important to communicate with parents. If they have concerns we need to help them see the importance behind what we are teaching. They need to feel comfortable as well as the students.

I had not considered giving the parents the option of removing their student from the assignments. Of course, the students that are not participating must have an assignment that will cover the course content in a less controversial manner, which would mean that two lessons would have to be developed and delivered.

I agree the principal should be a part of your decision as to what to do next in this situation. I think the principal needs to know why you are wanting to teach this information and why you do not feel like you should drop this information from your teaching.

Based on the principal's suggestion of sending a note home, I would say your principal is in agreement with you. Otherwise, I would hope he would not encourage you to send a note home explaining yourself to go against your choices later on. It is always important, especially with controversial issues, to have the support of your administration. I would definitely ensure that the principal supported me before continuing on with writing the letter and keeping this type of information in my math lessons.

I also agree that the content should not be removed. As a math teacher, I do not include anything in my lessons that do not benefit my students in some way. I do not agree though that students should be allowed to leave the room. The topics being covered are in no way harmful to a students body or mind. Therefore they should stay in the room.

I agree that addressing each parent/each letter individually is a good idea. This shows respect to the parents. It would also be a good idea to let them know your reasoning and your future plans. You are right that this was a great way to show the benefits and applications of math while connecting this discipline to social studies.

I totally agree with you saying that making math meaningful will help the students to be engaged in the lesson. The best teachers do their best to make their content meaningful so the students understand why they are learning it. Math can be a very tough subject to tie in real world issues into, and I think this lesson was a great way to do it.

You are exactly right! It is imperative that math be meaningful to students, otherwise it becomes more like rote memorization, and then life-long learning has less of a change of occurring. When students make real world connections, and they recognize how math standards can actually be applied to the world outside of the classroom, then they have more of a desire to learn the material. Common Core emphasizes the importance of including authentic situations to help make the material more meaningful for students.

I like your idea of talking to the students about what these statistics mean in our classroom. In our classroom, white males are not superior to any other students and they should not act as such. It would be a great idea to discuss what these statistics mean for us and how we can possibly change these statistics as they grow up.

I like your idea of the teacher sending home a letter at the beginning of the year to inform the parents of what is going to be used in the classroom. This can be put in their syllabus at the beginning of the year that the parents sign anyways. This can allow them the opportunity to decide if they want their child to participate in the activities and have proof when an issue arises that the parent agreed to the classroom syllabus before the material was taught.

I would have to agree, students need to be able to apply real-life situations to math and other subjects. If you continue to show them the importance real-life applications then once they are in higher education they will be able to better understand these topics. Students cannot directly relate to the material now but as they grow older they will learn more. The students will able to form their own opinions, draw their on conclusions, and provide data for evidence on their position so I believe presenting these topics are very beneficial.

I think it is important to make students aware of the world around them and not shelter them from the facts about life in our society. I agree that it is in the best interest of your students to learn about real world scenarios and expand their knowledge base. After all, they will not be children forever and they will eventually have to encounter these types of issues in the real world.

I agree that this information is very important to share with students, and as long as the principal is behind you, then you should continue. I do feel that an explanation of your thoughts/ideas could be sent to parents so that they better understand your point of view, but don't stop!

I agree don't stop, but create alternatives lessons and activities for the students who parents that don't agree.

I agree that math can and could be used to approach just about any subject that deals with numbers. However, I believe this specific subject matter might just be over the heads of the young students. The idea and numbers of inequality in America are highly emotionally and charged, and a more mature and knowledgeable audience would be necessary. Also, what can young students do about inequality and what solutions can be provided? Instead, maybe bring up a topic like child homelessness or child hunger, get the numbers from a reliable (government or other reputable institution) and possibly encourage students to participate in a local charity or set up a month of canned food collection to support needy families in the area. I feel like this might be a much more productive use of class time, and can help open student's eyes to a topic they are better able to understand and relate to.

I agree that this topic may be to advanced for elementary school students. If this were a high school it would be different. Use topics that are relatable for the students such as animal shelters and the number of homeless animals.

Getting reliable information from a good source is key! While I think 5th graders could probably handle this information, it may be a little to much a little early. I agree with the above comments that maybe different statistics should be introduced that are a little more age appropriate. I don't think that what you are doing is wrong, but if parents don't want their children being talked to about this and have formed such a strong disagreement, maybe you should use different data.

I agree, choosing when to use these types of material can be extremely beneficial.

I also agree that with 5th grade, I think they are capable of starting to understand different issues surrounding thier futures.

I also agree that 5th grade is a bit early for this type o controversial material and also think that there is a time and a place for the topic of social injustices to be taught. Math has become such a difficult content for many students these days with the increased rigor that adding a twist to it regarding social injustices would only muddy the waters and make its understanding that much more difficult.

I also found it interesting that the children were perfectly fine with the lesson, and it was the parent who took issue. The teacher clearly has a good relationship with the students and a good understanding of what content they can handle. I think that if the teach can calmly explain the intent of the activity to the parents, that it will help them understand the situation and feel better.

Great point! Showing the parents that working with real world data is benefiting their children will get them to "buy in" to your strategy.

I like the ideas you presented about telling the parents. Sending a note home telling them that some of the students loved the presentation should make them less angry and realize the benefits. Using the graph in the class was a great visual for the students.

I think informing the parents is beneficial but should still be incorporated. When we stop informing our students, will the parents inform the students of these real life events at home? Probably not. This way not only are they learning and mastering a lesson but it is being incorporated into real life lessons. Maybe the parents should have a lesson on what helps students understand concepts better. I would just inform them and have administration approve beforehand.

I agree with your solution and the comment left behind it. The students are making real life connections with this lesson, which is motivating them intrinsically. The students are engaged and able to retain the information in their long-term memory more efficiently. This is a great way to learn economics during Math class...isn't Economics a part of Math anyway?

I would provide your resources to the parents. Perhaps they are misinformed and should be thankful that their child came home inquiring about what they learned at school. Parents need to embrace their child being introduced to different ideas of treatment even as men and women. I think the fifth grade is a good place to introduce factual interesting information.

You have a point about the assignment maybe being too advanced for fifth grade but I also think that high school is too old. Students need to be aware of the issues that are going on around them. Just because they are young does not mean that the world stops spinning. I find it hard to believe that parents would be upset about keeping their kids informed. Who exactly do they think kids are going to learn to hate? Parents need to have more faith in their teachers.

I completely agree with you. Students need to know how to transfer their math lessons to the real world. Being able to understand what's being said on the news and in newspapers is crucial to being a functioning and contributing adult.

I completely agree with you and I also mentioned in my solution that the teacher's letter home should include a reference to the sources used. Using real-world data that is applicable and relevant is a great way to make math more interesting for students.

I also agree that you should take up on the situation and not back down with your beliefs. Allowing the parents to see why you are doing this assignment will help them better understand the importance of it and hopefully change their attitude towards it.

I agree with you. The parents need to be informed about the impact that these types of lessons can have on students. These controversial lessons should continue, and the teacher needs to find a respectful way to reach out to these students. Even if they do not stop complaining, it is important for the development of these children. Taking lessons like this away from children will hinder them.

I agree with the idea of a meeting. If parents are really angered by the idea of their child learning real-life data then you can offer to have a meeting to explain why it is important. We teach children so they can be productive in life and the best way to do that is to show them what life really is.

I agree with your thoughts that a lot of the negative feedback will come from parents who want to keep the child's innocent view of the world which I can understand. And the parents giving the feedback are at least interested in their child's education enough to say something! It takes a strong teacher to teach tough topics, such as politically controversial ones but knowledge on all levels lead to greater understanding and ability to make changes. Maybe changes in pay scale is what we need and one of those students might be the one to make it happen.

I think that it is an excellent point that our obligation is to the students, not the parents. Sometimes as teachers, it is easy for us to feel as though we work for and answer to everyone, parents, students, administrators, and even other teachers. It can be extremely difficult to do the right thing in situations like this. Reach out to like-minded teachers for support so that you don't feel as if you are alone on a limb. You are also right in saying that, if you can get parents to see that you have their children's best interests at heart, they can be invaluable allies.

Absolutely! The students are who matter and I think that could very well be written in a response to the parents. "The children seem to respond well to such assignments and for that reason I am choosing to continue to use such data. It is my responsible to make sure that students are educated." Of course parents will be upset, but again it is about the students.

I agree that informing parents about the goal of the lessons and connecting the learning to the real world will help the complaints disappear. Students that have parents still uncomfortable with the topic can find another subject matter to graph data.

Great solution. I agree implementing the information about real world objectives should be address in the beginning of the course term.

Social injustices is definitely pointed out in this lesson. I think your post is great! I could not have thought of a better way to address this possible issue. I think by giving parents a heads up at the beginning of the year in the class syllabus, then they will know what to expect and where your information for your lessons may possibly come from.

Sara, I agree with your idea of a parent letter. However, I would consider sending the letter home at the beginning of the school year. Inside the letter, you could list the various class projects that will involve controversial materials or multicultural aspects. This will give parents a general idea of what to expect throughout the year, rather than at this one junction.

I think that the parents are most concerned with the fact that the students were spending their math time discussing the pay inequalities, rather than doing math. I think explaining to the parents that the focus of the lesson was the math would help them to see that this discussion was just a minor part of the lesson (that the students really came up with on their own after analyzing the data). I would hope that after hearing that the academic rigor was not lost, parents would be understanding of the lesson and appreciative of the parent for making the math content interesting and relevant for their learners.

I agree. The parents will eventually come around once they understand exactly what the teacher is doing. Plus, he could send an informational letter home explaining to the parents that the standards call for real world connections and problems.

I would not take it out of my math class. I would explain to the students that the new common core standards encourage making real world connections. This is the best thing you can do for the students and this is a real world connection you can use. The most important thing is to integrate your lessons and show the students the importance of that. If the parents can see that the purpose is integration, they will likely have a better understanding.

I agree that the real world connection is an important one considering the new Common Core standards and that it is useful to use this kind of information in the class. Keeping parents informed of the reasoning behind it should help them feel more comfortable with the decision to use this kind of data.

You bring up a good point with the common core connection to the real world that I had not thought about. If we are providing our students with information like the differences in pay, I think we need to make sure we are giving our students all of the details. Also, make sure you can't find other studies that may contradict the results of the first study. Another idea would be to compare the results of two similar studies.

Yes I think your are right!!! We should be teaching students about real life experiences and exposing them to the real world. The new standards stress the importance of real life experiences and how students should be exposed to these. I believe that you should inform parents about what topics will be covered the following to give them a heads up on the material. Another idea that I feel could be used is to incorporate math journals so students can write about what they have learned about the math graphing lessons as well as the life experience that was taught, such as jobs and gender.

I agree, an integrated curriculum is important and the use of real life date in mathematics provides students with relevance. However, since this particular instance caused parents to be disgruntled, be sure the next topic of integration is one parents will be more comfortable with. I am not saying to "water down" the use of social injustices, just make sure the data you use is "well-rounded". Including data from other curricula, not just social studies, may be a better topic for the next assignment.

Good job pointing out how this relates to the Common Core. Parents can't argue with state-mandated curriculum, so there's your answer! Keep on teaching and exposing students to the truth.

This is a great point. I said pretty much the same thing about explaining to the parents that we have to integrate our lesson plans.

I agree with you. I think that this type of sensitive material should be taught. This will help the students learn that there are injustices in the real world. I also beleive that having the support of an admin. could help you keep this material afloat.

I agree. It is important that these topics be covered across the curriculum and from an early age. We cannot leave it to other teachers assuming they will cover social justice issues in their classes. We should all find a way to incorporate social justice throughout the curriculum.

This is my favorite post that I have read on here. I agree with all of your points it was very well thought out.

Lori, well said. We certainly have to be clear about our intentions for every lesson. That is, what is it we want our students to learn from the lesson; is it truly going to benefit them for life.

Well said Lori. I always think to myself that is 1-2 students are off task then it is them. If there are are 5+ students off task it is me. I think this can be tied in with parents as well. If a few are concerned you can take it case-by-case, but 10 is a large enough number to raise concern. Being in communication with the parents and relaying the message you are teaching in class is important. Making sure our instruction is also balanced during the class time is also important. Showing both sides of the issue is important for giving an accurate picture of the topic before us.

I agree communication with the parents is important and it would be better to be proactive and send a letter home to parents before the unit began to clarify any misconceptions and help them understand the reasoning behind teaching math using real world applications;

I also agree. This does really sound like a great lesson but 10 parents is a high number. I would evaluate my lesson, talk with my principal and then contact the parents to listen to their concerns. I would not repeat this lesson until I had honestly evaluated my own teaching and the parental responses. If after doing this, you still feel the lesson is effective then I would consider having a class discussion about both statistics and the implications of statistics that reveal social injustice. I would also consider presenting some evidence of companies lying with statistics so that students can draw more meaning from data.

I agree with sending home a letter home explaining the importance of using the controversial material. This could prevent any issues during the lesson.

I agree with the letter and i would take your time writing it and have some coworkers or maybe the principal read and revise it before sending it home to make sure it is not offensive in anyway. This is important because some parents can be easily offended especially when read a letter because they will not be able to hear your tone and could interpret in a way you did not mean for them to.

I agree that the material should not be excluded from the lesson. As long as your data is factual, utilizing it within your math lesson is a valuable approach. I do believe that communicating with the parent is crucial to provide them with an understanding of your lesson objectives.

I agree that keeping the parents informed of the reasons why you want to teach their children in this manner is important. Simply keeping the lines of communication open between the home and the classroom can do so much for improving your rapport with the parents and their ability to trust your teaching decisions.

I agree that touching base with the parents and keeping your administrator in the loop would be highly advisable. If your primary objective is to use math to open the eyes of students to issues in the world, choose a topic both parents and your administration can get behind. I believe the students you are addressing are too young to really grasp this topic anyhow, but driving a wedge between yourself and your community does not really help your cause. Choose a topic that is both more age appropriate and palatable to the parents, and I will bet you could really make waves in your local district.

I like you suggestion about sending a letter home to the parents. Parents need to be informed on what their children are learning. Yes, I also agree that the lesson that she is teaching about will not only enrich their math skills, but it can also motivate them to be that change that the world needs. I, too, think the teacher is doing a great job. We need to stop shortchanging our students when it comes to our instruction in the classroom.

Your suggestion of the math journal is also a great idea. Writing not only what they learned by making the graph but what how they applied the information in their knowledge of social justice is a great way to make learning meaningful.

I also agree that a letter home to the parents is appropriate. We should inform parents as to what material we are covering, especially when we deal with topics such as these. I also like your idea about a journal on what the students learned about their careers.

I agree that this should continue and not be stopped. Those are great suggestions to incorporate in to the students sharing information with the parents. This way the parents will know what they are expecting to discuss and will be more informed. If they have questions they can ask before the lesson and it can help to incorporate more knowledge into your teaching Standards now state that objectives should relate to real life scenarios for students to be able to grasp the concepts better. Parents should be notified that real life scenarios are being used based on standards. Thanks for ideas to incorporate into my weekly class lessons.

I also agree. I personally believe an in-person meeting would be a great idea so that you could voice your reasons in a much better way than any letter could represent. You could also arrange to have students there, to show the parents what they are learning (parents love that). If parents are able to see that your principal supports it and that your students are not only learning, but engaged in their learning, I truly believe you would have their support--at least more so than you already do.

I like your idea of sending home a weekly letter. Perhaps the teacher could send out within it the data which will be used the following week or a link to the study which the date will come from for parent to read on their own.

I agree that the lessons with social justice in the math class are great as long as they are developmentally appropriate.

I think the teacher should also add something to their syllabus that discusses their reasoning for this type of instruction, just so that it is addressed ahead of time.

I like what you said about involving the parents. I think that talking with the parents is a great idea and having them discuss their reasons for why using the income data is not a good topic to use for learning how to graph.

The statistics definitely is a more interesting way for students to learn the information. Even though it may be offensive to some, that is not the reason for using the data. The data is accurate and should be suitable for school use.

I too think writing a letter of explanation is needed. It is also important for teachers to realize that not every parent will approve the content or the manner in which a standard is taught. Backing up the content taught with standards proves the validity to the lesson itself.

I agree. It's good for the students to be aware of what goes on in the world today.

I do think it is a good idea to explain the situation and have the principal on your side. In addition, just explain to parents that you are trying to make the information learned in class relatable to students and their lives.

I agree. Ensuring your principal is behind you is a great first step before responding to parents. What you have actually done here is make a concept in a math class relevant across the curriculum and applicable to the "real world". After you have contacted the parents and explained the lesson to them, I would keep the principal posted on the general tone of these conversations. Perhaps you could work with the English teacher (if that is not also you) and try to come up with a lesson where students could write an essay on this issue or social justice so that it would seem more relevant.

Consent forms are a great way to give the parents more control of the situation. Students that are not able to participate in the lesson could graph information about another topic. I think the teacher should still use data about social injustices for students that are given permission.

I like the consent forms. It is true that students are not old enough to make all decisions for themselves. Parents need to be kept in the educational loop because it takes more than educators in order for students to be successful.

You do make a valid point, one way to make education interesting and effective is to make it relevant to students lives and obviously you have got your students attention using this set of data. I also agree that it's not entirely possible to teach a class that is relevant to students lives without including current events.

Yes, you point out that it is important to make learning in schools relevant to the students in order for the learning to be effective. Using current events in a math class is a great way to make the content and the learning more relevant to the students.

Well said!

Real world connects in important in math classes. I believe this help the students to relate to the curriculum. This is essential because connecting real world connects is the foundation for relating the curriculum to the students' prior interests and knowledge.

I agree with you. Rigor, relevance, and relationships. The assignment is clearly meeting all three of these demands, which means they are gaining the knowledge.

I don't feel that the topic was inappropriate for the students. For some students, this could ignite a fire in them to work hard to beat the odds. Making children aware of inequalities informs students to pay attention to how they treat one another. Each child has value. If this point is emphasized by each worker having value in what they do no matter the pay then I believe it is a great lesson. It is not always about what you do or how much you make but if you make a difference in the world around you. You could also have them graph teacher pay vs. the pay of professional ball players, bankers, or lawyers to see another example.

I agree that it was not age appropriate. If the teachers wants to continue to bring in other data that is more appropriate to their age would be a better idea. You brought up some great ideas that would have the students thinking about their own actions. I am sure many students do not realize how much time they spend gaming or how little time they spend exercising.

I have to disagree with your solution. I think that you are not giving the students enough credit. I think that fifth grade students are mature enough to at least be exposed to this topic. They also obviously found the lesson interesting since they went home and talked about it with their parents. This is a relevant, real world topic and is no better nor worse than the alternative topics you suggested. As long as the teacher is not just introducing topics for the sake of stirring controversy, but is rather creating meaningful lessons that engage and interest students then I do not see a problem.

I disagree with changing the materials, the students did not complain it was to difficult to understand, and the lesson made a big enough impact on them to share with their parents.

I completely agree with your post. I think if we hide these truths about the world from our students they will be shocked one day, and not understand what is going on in the real world. Our job is to educate and prepare them for the real world. Like you said, there are many controversial topics we study. Not only the Holocaust, but they will soon learn more about slavery and the civil rights movement. They need to know the progress that Americans have made, and how they can continue to make this world a better place.

I agree. Parents and students alike need to see that understanding history and current situations (and not turning a blind eye) are key to making changes. It empowers students to give them knowledge of injustice. This should be the rationale given to parents.

I agree with you that we should not avoid controversial topics and information, but provide a way to challenge students to become problem solvers. Using data that is currently happening in the world around them, gives us opportunities to teach more than just math lessons. This gives us the ability to encourage thinking of creative solutions to solve these types of problems. A not should go home explaining your reasoning and intentions, but highlighting the benefits to this lesson.

I agree that this was a good way to introduce such an important fact in our society. You are right, there are sensitive issues that need to be discussed carefully, not ignored. I would possibly alert parents to this, though. Then they can be prepared to answer their students' questions, as well. It does not seem to have caused hatred in your students, but you should be prepared to address and guide debates if they arise.

I agree with your post. Some topics are more sensitive to some than others, but that doesn't mean that we should stop teaching the material to our students. I would explain it to those parents that have a problem and let them know that you are more than willing to listen to them, but you may have lessons like this in the future as well. If they don't want their child to participate then give them an alternate assignment.

I agree using these real life scenarios will show students when they will actually use the math you are teaching them. I also think it's important to have the backing of your administrator and I also think that the teacher should try to explain and help parents understand why he is using this particular content in the classroom. Explaining these types of things does not necessarily ensure that parents won't still disagree, but hopefully it will help parent and teacher reach middle ground.

Great point. This is interdisciplinary teaching, which is very important to include. It definitely is more engaging to students and makes the application of math more realistic and contextualized.

I strongly agree with you. As a high school mathematics teacher, I constantly get the question of "When am I ever going to use this?" In this fifth grade class, students are being exposed to real world context (social justice) while interpreting graphs. Those are skills that students will need to bring with them throughout their academic career.

I think that you have a great point about the content creating relevance for the students. Students want to make connections to the real world. They want to feel that they aren't learning something just for the sake of learning it. The purpose of school is to prepare students for life in the real world. To do that, you are going to have to teach them some real-world issues. Also, when we make our lessons interdisciplinary, we are getting the attention of more students. In this case, students who typically aren't interested in math may have their attention hooked by the social studies aspect of the lesson.

I think the optimal point you raises was "as long as the administration was behind the teacher." So often, administrators tend to buckle at the first sigh of trouble.

I would also do the same if I was faced with this issue in my classroom. You are so right about the kids complaining about why is it important and using current event issues you can relate it back to why graphing is important in the real world.

I agree with your statement about not kicking a sleeping dog. It is important to drive points home in our lessons, but you must do so eloquently. By choosing data that is appropriate for the grade level and topics being covered, it is more likely that no problems should arise from the home front. In a response to the parents I would do my best to relate the data used to various other curriculum standards to show that you are taking best practices into account.

I agree that the material was useful in the classroom. Students need to be aware of the various types of injustice if any changes are going to be made in the future. Also, this is real information that connects to real-world issues and that is something that students are not getting often enough.

I agree, i think it is important for students to be exposed to the types of things that occur in our world. It makes the information relevant to their learning. Parents may not understand the importance of this and they can tend to shelter their children from truths. A letter seems like the best way to go about explaining yourself to the parents.

I agree! Do not be upset by just a few complaints! Teaching about the report was not intended as any form of malice. Just explain to the parents, and I'm sure they will (eventually) understand.

Right! The more students are exposed to real-world problems and issues the more ready they will be to face these issues.

I agree. A large majority of parents want to shelter their students from issues like racial and sexual discrimination in the workforce. I think that the this was the perfect time to introduce these students to the notion of 'glass ceilings' in the workplace. The principal seems to have your back on the issue, so I would continue to integrate these issues when relevant. As a general rule, when a parent writes you a letter, you have to respond to them. I would respond to them and the rest of the parents who have students in your classroom. The letter should explain your motivation for integrating this type of information into your class. The letter should also contain a comprehensive list of any additional issues that you plan to address during the year so that if they have any questions, they can contact you ahead of time. I would also give this letter to your principal so he/she will be aware of what you will be tackling in your room throughout the year. Bravo for implementing this into your lesson!

I agree that teaching the students about social injustices such as this are a good idea. I do question the fact whether 5th grade is "too young." However, I agree that contacting the parents about the lesson and explaining the reasoning behind is would be good.

I think that inviting the parents into the classroom is a wonderful idea! This is a great way to let them experience the lesson first hand to ensure that the intention was not to cause hatred, but to expose the students to relevant issues that they will relevant to them in their future jobs.

I think you have a great idea of inviting parents to the classroom. By doing so, parents can get a first-hand experience as to what you are teaching and how it is relevant to your math lessons. Great idea!

I like the idea of having the parents come in. Framed in the light of "come in and see how we use this material" to teach math, you open the door for them to act upon their anger over the material. If they do not come in or refuse, you can prove your willingness to show them why you feel the material was acceptable and will continue to use it with your admin's support. By having them come in you also create the opportunity to show the ones who do come that what you are teaching is really not bad at all when it is viewed in the context of the math class and how the students interact with it and each other.

I think removing the content is a mistake as well. Teachers are often forced to omit and revise their curriculum to appease the world, or to fit a prescribed mold. When you start sacrificing each decision, you will end up in a rut where you become the robotic instructor who simply teaches test material and goes home. Sticking to the guns is the better route, I agree.

Although I think that all students should be exposed to these issues, I think that your solution is a great way to keep parents happy. Sending home a letter before the lesson explaining the content and the purpose of incorporating the material into lessons will ensure that parents fully understand what their child will be learning, and why you feel it is important for them to be exposed to the information. I also think that giving parents the opportunity to ask that their child not participate in the lesson is a good way to minimize complaints.

I like your idea about allowing the students to opt out of the activities. If the parents are uncomfortable with it, they may just ask that the student not participate with the rest of the class. However, if they are informed before hand then it may lead to more parents realizing the importance of the topic and allowing their students to participate.

I think that this particular data may seem to lead student into a particular political view point. Teachers should avoid using their position to endorse or support a particular political position. However, the teacher can still use this data as long as they include data on multiple different issues and from different viewpoints. The teacher could also use data about immigration patterns, recidivism rates, GDP data, and so forth. This would help avoid the appearance of favoring any particular political ideology.

I appreciate your comment on assuring the parents that the data is true and not a waste of time.... but in dealing with parents for some time now I feel that this will fall on deaf ears. Even with iron-clad evidence of your material being factual, parents will still demand this to be removed if they feel it is bothering their child. I feel that the only way to retain this is to either have the parents come in and see how the students and material are interacting in a positive light or have your admin back you in saying that this material is ok for instruction and it will stay in the curriculum.

I agree with your solution. These are real life events and the students made connections with it. The simple fact that they went back to their parents and talked about a MATH lesson is just incredible!! How many students go home and talk about anything from school, much less Math? Probably very few, if any. I would definitely write a letter to the parents explaining the situation.

I think if the letters continue setting up a meeting with appropriate school personnel is a wonderful idea. I would also have to explain that the information obtained in the report was not included to offend-- as a teacher, it was found to be a "teachable moment."

I totally agree with you; giving the parents the option to choose to have their children expose to such content is a wonderful idea.

I think the lesson rationale is a good thing, but I don't think that allowing students to opt out is beneficial. The information presented in the lesson are no more controversial than talking about racism and segregation when studying previous periods of US history, except that these statistics are relevant today.

I know sending a letter home to the parents before the activity is more of the Politically Correct way to probably go about this situation, but I cant say I would do it. I am more of an "Asking for forgiveness and not permission" type of person, especially if I think the lesson is truly benefical to the students. I teach at an International Baccalaureate (IB) school so this lesson would be more expected by our principal, because we are expected to bring multiple content areas into our classrooms and this is a great way to bring Social Studies and Math together. As for the students to be able to opt out of the assignment, I wouldnt have offered it.

Nobody wants to rock the boat. It far easier to go along to get along. However, if we continue to do what we have always done, we continue to get what we always got. I think it is a great idea to incorporate real world examples in the curriculum. Research is replete with studies showing how effective this practice is. However, we musn't cause trouble. We can't have our students learning real world situations. (Sarcasm included).

I couldn't agree with you more. How often, do we hear of cross-curriculum integration? Always. The fact that you were able to incorporate this into a math class of all things, is incredible. I'm not a math teacher, but I always hear the other math teachers on my hall explain that you can't do something like this with math, or you can't write in math. Parents should be appreciative and not so critical. But, I also agree--you need to explain yourself to the parents. You have to remember, that they are only hearing this information from their students who, let's face it, sometimes leave out part of the story. I really think you will have more parental support if you hold a meeting versus sending a letter home.

I agree that I do not understand why parents would be upset with this lesson. My conclusion is that the lesson may not have been properly taught and the lessons learned may have been misinterpreted by the students, which in turn spread to a misinterpretation by the parents. May be best for the teacher to express their side to remove any misinterpretation.

I agree- a note home will help tremendously. I would send the note home before the activity just to inform parents of the statistics. They should be involved in the learning process too, so hopefully they will become interested in the topic. Some parents will always complain, but you have to do what you feel is right. Make sure your principal is on board with this content.

I certainly like your comment regarding letting the parents know in advance about plans to teach social justice issues because not everyone may want their child expose to such sensitive issues at a fifth grade level. With that said, I will add that the teacher should provide a parent letter about the content to be covered and provide parents with the option to elect whether or not they want their child to participate in the lesson. The teacher can always differentiate the lesson to accommodate those parents who opt not to have their child participate. Doing it this way will certainly avoid any kind of drama.

I think the next time the teacher has to address this same lesson, sending home a note ahead of time will better resolve the issues rather than after the lesson has been taught. This also allows students the talk with their parents about the issue and therefore students will be able to bring the conversation to class for a more in-depth discussion. As you mentioned, this will may also allow the teacher to assign students in different groups based on parent responses and for differentiation.

I love the "mission statement" that you picked! I think that this would definitely deal with the issue if it was included in the syllabus at the beginning of the semester and addressed ahead of time.

It is important to help the parents understand what content was being taught in the classroom and how it was being addressed. I agree that the will probably feel more comfortable when they realize that the teacher is not trying to force opinions or believes.

I agree with your solution. I don't think the teacher should remove the material that our students need to learn.

I also agree that this is great way to make meaningful by connecting it to the real world. I think often times students want to see the point behind what they are learning in order to feel like it serves a great purpose. I think this lesson did a great job with that.

I agree that these statistics serve more than just a social purpose. They can show the students how statistics, mathematics, and graphing are used outside of the classroom. The students can start to see where and how they can use the knowledge they are gaining from their schooling. I think that explaining it as students taking away lessons versus a teacher using it as a personal agenda is a great way to help parents to understand. Using the information as a motivational tool would be a great way to teach the students more than the mathematical concepts.

I like the idea of making real world connections especially in math. More times than not students want to know the relevance of the mat they are learning. In my high school economics class, my students begin to understand, data, statistics, and complex algebra.

I disagree with your point to a degree. I believe parents should have some input at school. School is not optional, it is compulsory. If parents must send their children to school, I believe they should have some input. The worst problem at our school is that we do not have enough parental support or involvement. Should parents be dictating what is being taught? Certainly not. Are parents entitled to be upset at a teacher if they are teaching their children something that they deem to be false or inappropriate? Yes they do. If a science teacher dismissed evolution and taught my child creationism instead, I would certainly make a call to the school. Obviously, we will never make all the parents happy, but I believe we do owe it to the parents to explain what we are teaching their children if they ask for one.

Josh, that is a great idea. Ask the principal for help in drafting the letter or at least proofing the letter before it is sent home. Obviously, we will never make all parents happy, but we just choose where we make our battles. We must determine if the ends justify the means. I have been fortunate to not have any parental backlash in the controversial topics we discuss in class. I assume this is because the students don't care enough to tell their parents, or the parents don't care enough to put up a fight.

After reading your post, you have changed my mind on my opinion regarding this situation. It is important to keep the students engaged, excited, and confident in your teaching.

Data without context can sometime lead students into extreme positions. The teacher should include data from the past fifty years on wage inequality this way students can see the trend towards income equality.

Oops! Sorry! I resubmitted my post answer. I cut and paste the question so I can read them as I'm responding! Differentiated Instruction for my own ADD issues!

I agree. If this information is going to be taught, it should be done in an appropriate manner. The teacher should also make sure that the students understand the information being presented.

I too suggested a parent letter be sent home with every student. However, I like that you took it a step farther. Inviting parents to come observe in class during such activities is a great idea. Additionally, making yourself available for conferences is expressive of your flexibility and willingness to adapt the activity if needed. Excellent thoughts!

Great solution Elizabeth! I agree that he needs to help parents see the connection intended with the real world implications and how this can help students develop pride in who they are and know that such injustices should be fought against.

I think that the issue may be in the communication between the teacher and parents. Great explanation and I think it may be best for the teacher to explain their side with parents.

Yes! The material is great and should be kept, but sometimes we have to help parents understand our reasonings. When they understand the "whys" they are less likely to objective, even if they don't agree.

I agree with your suggestion. Sometimes students' explanations of the lesson don't always include the whole picture, so offering an explanation to parents can be very helpful. Most often, once parents hear the whole story, they are much more understanding of the situation.

The students enjoyed it! That should be what matters...that and the fact that they learned! Students usually learn well when they enjoy what they are learning. I agree with you about coordinating with the Social Studies teacher. That would be a great lesson to elaborate on! It allows the children to learn from a positive perspective opposed to learning from someone who discriminates...if you know what I mean.

I like your comment about not being able to peak the interest of all students, however, I think you should be concerned if you can't peak that interest. What if you give the students homework to find real world math data that you could use that spark their interest?

Excellent point about tying the lessons together and not just saying "here is some information about income inequality, let's make a graph". I do think 5th graders would be able to see the injustice of people making more or less money based upon gender or ethnicity.

I think it would be valuable to know exactly why the parents feel the way they do. Asking for their opinion and addressing their specific concerns would go a lot further, in my opinion.

it is important that students learn about gender discrimination, but I think there may be another way to go about it. it seems that this teacher just full throttled into it. Unless it was activated by prior knowledge beforehand, which he does not tell us.

I agree, you are benefiting your students by broadening their horizons to much more than just mathematics.