Extending Equitable Practices in Teacher Noticing: Commentary

Abstract

In recent years, equitable pedagogy and professional noticing have intersected in mathematics education research (Erickson, 2011; Hand, 2012; Wager, 2014). Teachers can make assumptions about students from non-dominant races, cultures, languages, and low socioeconomic status that are deficit-oriented (DiME, 2007). Thus, it is critical for equity to be central to professional noticing to provide all students with high quality learning opportunities. Hand (2012) emphasized the significance of teacher disposition in equitable instruction and developed a model consisting of three practice features to include: promoting dialogic space in class- room interactions, blurring distinctions between mathematics and cultural activity, and reframing the system of mathematics education. However, questions continue to be raised about what noticing for equity looks like in diverse classroom contexts. While there was agreement in this section on professional noticing consisting of the three interrelated components of attending, interpreting, and deciding (Jacobs, Lamb, and Philipp, 2010), the authors provided varying perspectives on how to embed equity. In this commentary, the following are highlighted: (a) equity frameworks, (b) teacher disposition and identity, and (c) classroom-based practices. Then, final thoughts are presented to connect topics in these chapters with further questions and considerations for the field