An Investigation of African American Girls’ Positionality in Science and Mathematics Introduction Emerging Questions 1.How might teacher confidence and self-efficacy of teachers influence the existence and prevalence of mathematics teaching and learning for African American schools in low-resourced schools? 2.How might administrators’ school-wide decision making, in response to accountability and testing, impact teachers mathematics and science teaching specifically in low-resourced schools Progress has been made toward gender equity in science and mathematics, however, there is persistent underachievement among African American girls when compared to their white counterparts. Our long-term goal is to empower African American girls to be life-long learners and users of science and mathematics as evidenced by an increase in the presence of African American girls in science and mathematics- related college majors and careers. Research Questions How do low-income African-American schoolgirls position themselves as mathematics and science learners in relation to their gender, class, and ethnic identities? How do parents, teachers, and counselors, position themselves in relation to low-income African- American schoolgirls’ mathematics and science learning? How do mathematics and science teachers’ positionality influence their teaching practices in relation to low-income African-American schoolgirls? How do counselors’ positionality in relation to low- income African-American schoolgirls’ mathematics and science achievement influence their gate keeping activities? Data Collection: Focus group and individual interviews Classroom observations and videotape Research Participants: 30 – rising sixth grade girls 10 Teachers 3 School Counselors Preliminary Findings School-wide policies and teachers’ autonomous decisions impact the delivery of mathematics and science instructions for these participants. Counselors are well-intentioned, however they may not conceptualize the girls as mathematics and science achievers. Research Team A preliminary ancillary finding is related to the methodological paradigm in which positionality becomes salient for the research participants as well as the researchers. Notably, the reflexive process of knowledge construction occurring between the researchers and the research investigation. The concept of insider/outsider researcher contributes to the creation of meta-knowledge or new knowledge emanating from the synergistic discourse among the collective team. Theoretical Framework Our research explores positionality as a theoretical frame for understanding the science and mathematics learning of African American girls. Positionality suggests rank, value, and the presence of a hierarchy that can influence one’s functioning within the group. This position determines the amount of power an individual has and when internalized can impact access to opportunities (Cooks, 2003; Harley, Jolivette, McCormic & Tice, 2002). Rose M. Pringle PI, Cirecie West-Olatunji CoPI, & Thomasenia Adams CoPI Contact information: University of Florida NSF GSE Not in picture Joanne Laframenta & Adriana Baratelli

An Investigation of African American Girls’ Positionality in Science and Mathematics Solicited IRB and School Board of Alachua County (SBAC) approvals Orientation and training of research team members Identified 10 teachers and counselors Participant selection criteria drafted Interview protocols developed Cohort 1 selected – 30 girls Created observation protocols Began contacting parents Conducted “warm-ups” with participating school staff at Rawlings and Metcalfe Elementary PIs met with school principals Collected baseline classroom assessment data, initial interviews with all participants Began classroom observation and videotaping Conducted initial data analysis Designed protocol for labeling and storing data Conducted advisory board meeting Data analysis continues Continued data management Continued data collection Finalizing plans for Institute for parents, teachers and counselors Continuing classroom observations and data transcription Submitted IRB renewal to UF for year 2 Working on proposals for conference presentations Organizing and consolidating data Further data analysis Year 1 Activities