S5/E27: A Pathway to Equitable Math Instruction with Rachel Ruffalo, Malane Morales-Van Hecke and José Franco

How might we make math instruction more equitable for all students? Why is it so important for educators to recognize how their biases and beliefs affect their ability to deliver equitable instruction to English learners? How might we infuse language and culture into existing curriculum so they are a part of content instruction rather than a separate element? We discuss these questions and much more with Rachel Ruffalo, Malane Morales-Van Hecke and José Franco, who all played important roles in developing A Pathway to Equitable Math Instruction, which provides resources and guidance to support Black, LatinX and Multilingual students. The Pathway offers guidance and resources for educators to use now as they plan their curriculum, while also offering opportunities for ongoing self-reflection as they seek to develop an anti-racist math practice. The toolkit “strides” serve as multiple on-ramps for educators as they navigate the individual and collective journey from equity to anti-racism. Rachel Ruffalo is the Director of Educator Engagement at Ed Trust-West, where she leads engagements with school districts through a multi-year process that involves a mixed-methods research study to identify opportunity gaps and systemic inequities and a closely facilitated planning process to develop actions that address the root causes of the inequities. Malane Morales-Van Hecke is a Program Coordinator for the Los Angeles County Office of Education’s Multilingual Academic Support Unit in the Curriculum and Instruction Division. She currently works with the MAS Unit team providing technical assistance and professional development in support of Los Angeles county’s districts and charter schools as part of the county office and state-wide systems of support. José Franco serves as Director of WestEd’s Math Pathways & Pitfalls, which focuses on enriching students’ mathematical comprehension and academic language development in tandem. He advocates for teachers to orchestrate mathematics discussions that enhance student voice and identity. As always, we are committed to keeping you informed and inspired with resources to help you support your English learners. If you’d like to find more information or contribute to this series, go to ellevationeducation.com/ellcommunity. You can subscribe to Highest Aspirations wherever you listen to podcasts so you know when new episodes are released.