Englewood Public School District

Young people are the future. And CiSTEMer is developing students to become leaders through math education. In collaboration with The Young People’s Project and The Algebra Project, CiSTEMer utilizes their near-peer model of allowing students to take charge of their Education and the way math is taught. As a result, these students serve as Math Literacy Workers (MLWs), a term developed by The Young People’s Project. MLWs typically range from high school to college-aged students, and they are all trained in many ways to develop the mathematical literacy of younger students. This is done through a series of student-created games, activities, conversations and mentorship opportunities. Through CiSTEMer, Math Literacy Work is done by students for school districts, colleges and universities, nonprofit organizations and the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE). 

About the Program

Englewood Public School District in New Jersey utilizes College Math Literacy Work through The Algebra Project's Accessible Calculus program. Each day, College Math Literacy Workers serve in high school Algebra II classrooms to ensure that the Accessible Calculus curriculum and pedagogy are upheld. They work with teachers to co-develop lesson plans and create a bridge between the teacher and the students in the classroom.  

• Why is it unique?
  The work that College Math Literacy Workers for The Accessible Calculus Project do emphasizes student voice, agency and identity. By having college students in each high school classroom, they encourage their students to use their imagination and become creative with their mathematical thought processes, create solutions for themselves, and talk about their ideas with a younger mentor and role model. In addition to the classroom work with students, College Math Literacy Workers also serve as co-researchers for the Accessible Calculus Project, providing feedback and various methods to answering the project’s research questions.