UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA Los Angeles Beyond Classroom Learning: Exploring the family mathematiCs praCtiCes of BlaCk elementary children A thesis submitted in partial satisfaCtion of the requirements for the degree Doctor of Philosophy in Education by Jahneille Alijah Cunningham 2020 Ó Copyright by Jahneille Alijah Cunningham 2020 ABSTRACT OF DISSERTATION Beyond Classroom Learning: Exploring the family mathematiCs praCtiCes of BlaCk elementary children by Jahneille Alijah Cunningham Doctor of Philosophy in Education University of California, Los Angeles, 2020 Professor Kimberley Gomez, Chair Over the past few deCades, sCholars have argued that the knowledge valued in mathematiCs Classrooms has left many students of color at the margins of mathematiCal expertise. We know that many BlaCk children have struggled to perform in traditional mathematiCs classrooms, however, we know less about the mathematiCs they learn in their broader communities. BlaCk Children are far too often presumed to laCk home educational resources, in general, including resources in support of mathematiCs. In this dissertation, I challenged defiCit beliefs about BlaCk Children and their families by identifying and exploring their family math praCtiCes through the perspeCtive of funds of knowledge and situated learning theoretiCal frameworks. Using semi- structured interviews, partiCipant observations, and document/artifaCt colleCtion, I explored the mathematiCal learning opportunities of eight, elementary sChool BlaCk children and their ii families. I identified BlaCk parents’ beliefs about mathematiCs and mathematiCs learning, and analyzed the interaCtions between children and their parents to examine the ways the children’s mathematiCal knowledge and identities were reinforced during home aCtivities, including games, homework, sports, and household routines. The parents in the study employed various approaChes to support their children’s mathematiCal learning in formal and informal ways; they also used four distinct strategies to support their children’s mathematiCal identities, including a raCe-ConsCious approaCh. Findings suggest that while some children reCognized problem-solving in their informal aCtivities, interview and observation data suggest many of the children in this study struggled to ‘find the math’ in informal aCtivities, regardless of their level of sucCess with sChool-based mathematiCs. Understanding BlaCk children’s home mathematiCal resources and their beliefs about real-world mathematiCs can inform culturally relevant pedagogy in the Classroom. This study also contributes to sCholarship on BlaCk parent engagement and extends the literature on mathematiCal funds of knowledge in the BlaCk community. iii The dissertation of Jahneille Alijah Cunningham is approved. Megan Leof Franke Louis M. Gomez Rashmita S. Mistry Joi Spencer Kimberley Gomez, Committee Chair University of California, Los Angeles 2020 iv DEDICATION This dissertation is dediCated to my favorite mathematiCians—my sons, Jide and Kunle. May your love for learning continue to grow and may you both beCome doctors and/or engineers! (I am only partially kidding). v TABLE OF CONTENTS ABSTRACT OF DISSERTATION .................................................................................... ii COMMITTEE PAGE ........................................................................................................ iv DEDICATION .................................................................................................................... v LIST OF FIGURES ........................................................................................................... ix ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ................................................................................................ x VITA ................................................................................................................................. xii Chapter 1: Introduction ................................................................................................... 1 How I Came to This Work .............................................................................................. 1 Framing the problem ....................................................................................................... 3 Dissertation Overview ..................................................................................................... 7 Chapter 2: Literature Review and Theoretical Framework ......................................... 9 Summary of Literature Review ....................................................................................... 9 Introduction ................................................................................................................... 10 RaCialization in MathematiCs Education ....................................................................... 11 TheoretiCal Framework .................................................................................................. 14 Situated Learning ..................................................................................................... 14 Funds of Knowledge: Bridging Home and SChool .................................................. 25 Challenges and Opportunities of Out-of-SChool Research ApproaChes ....................... 32 Conclusion ..................................................................................................................... 34 Chapter 3: Methodology and Design ............................................................................ 36 Setting and Context ....................................................................................................... 36 Original Study Design ................................................................................................... 38 Current Study Design .................................................................................................... 41 PartiCipants .................................................................................................................... 42 vi Data ColleCtion .............................................................................................................. 50 Parent Interviews ..................................................................................................... 51 Child Interviews ....................................................................................................... 54 Family Observations ................................................................................................ 55 ArtifaCts .................................................................................................................... 57 Data Analysis and Reduction ........................................................................................ 57 Limitations and Concerns .............................................................................................. 63 Chapter Summary .......................................................................................................... 65 Chapter 4: Black Parental Mathematics Support Outside of School ........................ 66 Parental Math Support in Formal Learning Contexts .................................................... 67 The HomesChoolers ................................................................................................. 68 The Tutors ................................................................................................................ 74 Parental Math Support in Informal Learning Contexts ................................................. 77 The Fans ................................................................................................................... 78 The CoaChes ............................................................................................................. 80 Parental ApproaChes to Supporting Children’s Math Identities .................................... 82 The Affirmational ApproaCh: “We got this, we can do this!” ................................. 82 The PragmatiC ApproaCh: “When it comes to money, when it comes to money!” . 83 The Aspirational ApproaCh: “I want him to be an engineer!” ................................. 85 The RaCe-ConsCious ApproaCh: “We made math!” ................................................ 86 Chapter Summary .......................................................................................................... 89 Chapter 5: Black Children’s Mathematics Learning Outside of School ................... 92 Math is a SChool-based ACtivity .................................................................................... 94 Math is Procedural ....................................................................................................... 100 vii Math is Problem Solving ............................................................................................. 103 Chapter Summary ........................................................................................................ 107 Chapter 6: Discussion and Implications for Educators and Parents ....................... 110 DisCussion .................................................................................................................... 110 MathematiCal Identities in BlaCk Children ............................................................ 110 Situated Learning and Informal Environments ...................................................... 112 Funds of Knowledge in BlaCk Communities ........................................................