Incorporating a Critical Pedagogy of Place in the Mathematics Classroom: Rural School Bussing

Abstract

There is a growing opinion within the mathematics education community that the mathematics students learn should connect with real world examples from the students’ life and culture. Based upon a group project in a discrete mathematics course, this paper describes the issues involved in rural bus routing, including social, political, economical, and mathematical issues. In addition, several suggestions for incorporating a study of rural school bussing into the mathematics classroom at various levels from kindergarten to post-secondary are included.