Discovering and Developing Mathematical Talent

A Few Cultural Considerations

A fundamental problem

We want to develop mathematical talent in this country wherever we can find it

Underrepresented minority (African American, Hispanic American, Native American/Native Alaskan/Native Pacific Islander) density in U.S. population (July 2003 census estimates): 27.1%

We cannot overlook these populations But they may not be well represented in our

programs

Fraction of U.S. Mathematics Bachelors degrees given to underrepresented minorities, 2001: 13.8%

Science and Engineering Degrees by Race/Ethnicity of Recipients: 1992–2001, Susan T. Hill and Jean M. Johnson, Project Officers, Division of Science Resources Statistics, Directorate for Social, Behavioral, and Economic Sciences, National Science Foundation, April 2004

Math Circles / Math Olympiads could help with the location and development of mathematical talent in these populations

Are there some “design flaws” that reduce their effectiveness in doing so?

Disclaimers

1. No advocacy here to abandon or drastically redesign models proven to work for large numbers of students

2. No (dangerous) claim here that cultural considerations for populations should be used to predict individual behavior

Among many community-oriented Native American peoples, there is more emphasis put on bringing along everyone than on helping the few exceptional individuals excel Challenge: To meet two needs

Providing mathematics enrichment activities for all who might benefit

Providing truly challenging experiences for those who can really excel

In many Native American cultures, competition is strongly de-emphasized

Challenge: For some populations, to design Math Circles / Math Olympiad type experiences that are rewarding with capstone experiences that rely less on competition

In many Native American communities, well-meaning but not so well-trained teachers feel threatened by mathematics excellence programs Challenge: To make such teachers feel

comfortable with Math Circles / Math Olympiad-type programs, and (ideally) to use the programs as a vehicle to bring them farther along also

Traditional measures of mathematical promise may not identify some Native American students with great potential

Challenge: To find (early!) truly promising talent within the population, even if (e.g.) standardized test scores may be misleading

Native American parents may not send you their children unless they trust you to want to do well by them

Challenge: Gain the trust of the parents, understand what their problems are and how their culture affects their attitudes, and lay the groundwork for those who will follow you

A peek at the problem (and a ray of hope) If I were there I would say that what I have noticed in the math competition

problem sets that I give at the National American Indian Science and Engineering Fair, most young students don’t even understand the concept of a problem. They have not been introduced to problem solving by their teachers. Especially in grades 5–8, the average score is less than what they would get by guessing. The participants just look at the numbers in the problem and somehow come up with one of the distracter answers … . High school students who have an opportunity to try the problems over a period of years because they come to the Fair every year start to do quite well. Anyway, I think most Native kids don’t get an opportunity to do problem solving, many times because the teachers spend too much time teaching the “basics”. If you can, please pass this on. Thanks, Rich

Richard Sgarlotti (Potawatomi)Hannaville Indian SchoolHannaville Indian Community, Upper Peninsula of Michigan