Algebra is a civil right: Increasing achievement for African American males in algebra through collaborative inquiry

Algebra is the gatekeeper of access to higher-level math and science courses, higher education and future earning opportunities. Unequal numbers of African-American males drop out of Algebra and mathematics courses and underperform on tests of mathematical competency and are thus denied both essential skills and a particularly important pathway to economic and other opportunities. Through Collaborative Inquiry by teachers this study explored increasing achievement in Algebra for African American males in a middle school Algebra program. This participatory research study was conducted in an urban middle school in an effort to address low levels of Algebra achievement. The study included a written survey, videotaped classroom lesson observations, debrief sessions of the videotapes, teacher interviews and a student focus group. The findings included emerging effective teaching strategies, race matters in instructional practices and student interactions and the power of teacher developed collaboration to change practice and increase achievement. An important finding was that race matters and if we expect the bleak condition for African American males in Algebra to change conversations about race must take center stage and include instructional practice and relationships. The findings from the study will be shared with district leaders, teacher educators and the math community in an effort to support Algebra instruction in classrooms to increase achievement for African American Males in mathematics, thus closing the achievement gap and increasing student's future learning and opportunities.