2021 New Year's Resolutions
Happy New Year Nepantler@s!
Every year we learn and grow from our experiences, and this past year, to say that we learned from our experiences is an understatement. We are living and teaching through a pandemic. And yet, we are resilient & flexible as we struggle to engage all of our learners.
As we enter a new chapter, we asked a few mathematics educators to share a 2021 resolution to spark imagination and hope for the months to come.
JOSÈ VILSON
I resolve to keep pushing the possibility of what math is supposed to look like, and how our current renditions of achievement continue to suppress that which math can actually do in the service of a broader and shared humanity. Math deserves people who believe that just because a student isn’t “high achieving” doesn’t mean that they don’t deserve access to all the works that their own ancestors and people of the world have developed to get them to this point.
José Vilson is a mathematics educator, author, speaker, and doctoral student. He is the Executive director and co-founder of #EduColor, learn more about it here.
Dr. KRISTOPHER CHILDS
In 2021 and beyond, I am committing to ensuring educational decision making tables are inclusive of teachers. Too many decisions are made impacting teachers and students who are often never a part of the decision making process.
Dr. Childs is an author and speaker on mathematics education. Learn more about Dr. Childs here.
Dr. ROBERT BERRY
We teach more than mathematics, and our work must be connected to our humanity. I resolve to be an advocate for the historically excluded teachers and students. My advocacy is rooted in pushing for policies and practices supportive of their well-being.
Dr. Berry is the Past-President of NCTM and Associate Dean at the University of Virginia. Learn more about Dr. Berry here.
Dr. CATHERY YEH
For 2021, my resolution is to take up the pedagogy of with-ness (Hogg, et al, 2020) in all aspects of my life, from my classroom, friendships, workships, and at my home. As I engage in the practices of imagination, determination, boldness, subversiveness, joy, and healing, may it always be in community WITH others. My students are not alone. I am not alone. Teaching, learning, unlearning, surviving and thriving are collective endeavors!" Always learning from others - Pedagogies of With-ness is a new book from dear colleagues and friends.
Dr. Yeh is a co-author of Reimagining the Mathematics Classroom and a leader of the monthly #MiseducAsian Twitter chat.
Crystal Clayton
My New Year’s Resolution for 2021 is to take time to reflect on what brings me joy and things
that I am grateful for. In 2020, I spent many days thinking about what I don’t have and doing what I believed made students happy by sacrificing my own happiness. This year is the time for me to truly understand what brings me joy, so that I can be the constant that my students need.
Clayton is a high school mathematics teacher and a member of the leadership team of Nepantla Teachers Community.
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