The Nueva School's Innovative Learning Conference

Mathematics is supposed to be a universal language — beautiful, expressive of human thought, and a vehicle for the study of truth. Then why is not equally accessible to everyone? Students from low-income backgrounds and underrepresented minorities rarely access deeper mathematical study, and so math and math-related careers can seem locked away from them.

We will seek to understand what kind of education many successful students receive in science and math, and how to support students from historically marginalized communities to achieve at the same level. The talk will present results from Bridge to Enter Advanced Mathematics (BEAM), along with lessons learned about tailoring programs to reach out to new communities, how to adjust problems and topics for students who might have less background, and how to help make mathematics more accessible without sacrificing content. Participants will see specific strategies for supporting advanced work for underserved students. This session is likely to be especially relevant for teachers, program leaders, college advisors, and funders or policy makers.