‘Not Normal’ Classroom Norms

Minnie Liu and Peter LiljedahlSimon Fraser University

“Unlike mathematics, numeracy does not so much lead toward in an ascending pursuit of abstraction as it moves outward toward an ever richer engagement with life’s diverse contexts and situations.” (Orrill, 2001, p. xviii)

Numeracy

“…the questions [are] more challenging, [and] require critical thinking. It gives you an opportunity to solve problems as a team and learn how to cooperate with each other. You will find yourself discovering new things while doing this task. [They] will help your group work skill, critical thinking skills and problem solving skills.”

The Nature of Numeracy Tasks

“…the questions [are] more challenging, [and] require critical thinking. It gives you an opportunity to solve problems as a team and learn how to cooperate with each other. You will find yourself discovering new things while doing this task. [They] will help your group work skill, critical thinking skills and problem solving skills.”

The Nature of Numeracy Tasks

“…the questions [are] more challenging, [and] require critical thinking. It gives you an opportunity to solve problems as a team and learn how to cooperate with each other. You will find yourself discovering new things while doing this task. [They] will help your group work skill, critical thinking skills and problem solving skills.”

The Nature of Numeracy Tasks

“…the questions [are] more challenging, [and] require critical thinking. It gives you an opportunity to solve problems as a team and learn how to cooperate with each other. You will find yourself discovering new things while doing this task. [They] will help your group work skill, critical thinking skills and problem solving skills.”

The Nature of Numeracy Tasks

“…the questions [are] more challenging, [and] require critical thinking. It gives you an opportunity to solve problems as a team and learn how to cooperate with each other. You will find yourself discovering new things while doing this task. [They] will help your group work skill, critical thinking skills and problem solving skills.”

The Nature of Numeracy Tasks

“…the questions [are] more challenging, [and] require critical thinking. It gives you an opportunity to solve problems as a team and learn how to cooperate with each other. You will find yourself discovering new things while doing this task. [They] will help your group work skill, critical thinking skills and problem solving skills.”

The Nature of Numeracy Tasks

“…the questions [are] more challenging, [and] require critical thinking. It gives you an opportunity to solve problems as a team and learn how to cooperate with each other. You will find yourself discovering new things while doing this task. [They] will help your group work skill, critical thinking skills and problem solving skills.”

The Nature of Numeracy Tasks

• Grade 8 mathematics students (n = 30)• Mini School Program at a secondary

school in Vancouver• In class observation, field notes,

impromptu interviews, and survey• Grounded Theory Methods

Methodology

“The problems are meant to help develop the thinking involved. And to showcase that there are different ways and thinking to find an answer.”“We have to finish the questions by the end of the week and get a new one every week.”

Classroom Norms(Yackel and Cobb)

“The problems are meant to help develop the thinking involved. And to showcase that there are different ways and thinking to find an answer.”“We have to finish the questions by the end of the week and get a new one every week.”

Classroom Norms(Yackel and Cobb)

“The problems are meant to help develop the thinking involved. And to showcase that there are different ways and thinking to find an answer.”“We have to finish the questions by the end of the week and get a new one every week.”

Classroom Norms(Yackel and Cobb)

“The problems are meant to help develop the thinking involved. And to showcase that there are different ways and thinking to find an answer.”“We have to finish the questions by the end of the week and get a new one every week.”

Classroom Norms(Yackel and Cobb)

“[These are] odd questions that’s not often seen [in other math classes].”“… [Numeracy tasks] are often complicated and allow you to use your brain. Many other projects in class are basically revisits from what we’ve done … [The numeracy tasks and the projects] are on a complete different level.”

Abnormal Norms

“[These are] odd questions that’s not often seen [in other math classes].”“… [Numeracy tasks] are often complicated and allow you to use your brain. Many other projects in class are basically revisits from what we’ve done … [The numeracy tasks and the projects] are on a complete different level.”

Abnormal Norms

“[These are] odd questions that’s not often seen [in other math classes].”“… [Numeracy tasks] are often complicated and allow you to use your brain. Many other projects in class are basically revisits from what we’ve done … [The numeracy tasks and the projects] are on a complete different level.”

Abnormal Norms

Institutional norms “take the form of cultural theories, ideologies, and prescriptions about how society works or should work… institutionalized cultural rules define the meaning and identity of the individual and the patterns of appropriate economic, political, and cultural activity.” (Meyer et al., 1987, p. 9)

Institutional Norms

Students’ experiences are• Temporary • Unique

• Limit students’ mathematics experiences• Regression to past experiences

Institutional Norms

1) What are some of the institutional norms in a secondary school setting (specifically in a mathematics classroom)?

2) How do institutional norms influence students and teachers in a secondary school setting?

3) Is it possible to normalize these ‘abnormal’ norms? How can this be done?

Ongoing Research Questions

Thank you!

Contact UsMinnie Liu

minniel@sfu.ca

Peter Liljedahlliljedahl@sfu.ca

peterliljedahl.com

• “Normative aspects of mathematical discussions that are specific to students’ mathematical activity.” (Yackel and Cobb, 1996)• Teachers’ endorsed norms, teachers’ and

students’ enacted norms, students’ perceived norms (Levenson et al., 2009)

Sociomathematical Norms