Document Type

Journal Article

Publication Title

Journal of African American Males in Education (JAAME)

Publication Date

2020

Abstract

In this paper, I discuss the complex challenges Black male preservice mathematics teachers face in their pursuit of mathematics learning and teaching. These experiences are illustrated through the story of Marvin, a preservice mathematics teacher who, while navigating his undergraduate teacher preparation program, becomes conflicted over his choice to become a mathematics teacher. The case comes from a larger study involving five Black male preservice teachers who experienced success in K-12 mathematics and chose mathematics teaching as their profession. Marvin was at a crossroads – questioning whether his mathematics proficiency and desires to become a teacher were enough to sustain him through the completion of his mathematics education degree and entrance into the teaching force. Marvin’s story is highlighted in order to investigate what it means to be a Black male in the context of mathematics learning and mathematics teaching. Marvin’s mathematics, gender and racial identities are examined, including challenges to his identity and the implications of these challenges for Marvin’s developing teacher identity. The discussion highlights the ways in which the racialization of mathematics education may drive Black male students out of the mathematics teaching pipeline, but also sheds light on how they endure and persist. I explore the themes that characterize Marvin’s experiences as a Black male mathematics learner and prospective mathematics teacher. I attend to the issues of identity in terms of Marvin’s identity development and the factors that affect his identity over the course of Marvin’s life.

Keywords

Education

Disciplines

Education

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