Kennesaw State University

Young people are the future. And CiSTEMer is developing students to become leaders through math education. In collaboration with The Young People’s 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

During the Summer of 2024, College Math Literacy Workers who were a part of Kennesaw’s chapter of the National Society of Black Engineers (KSBE) co-taught an Algebra II course at Kennesaw State University through The Accessible Calculus Project. The Accessible Calculus Project is a National Science Foundation-funded research project that allows students to learn Algebra II in a way that better prepares them for their high school or college Calculus courses. 

• Why is it unique?

  As student-co-teachers in the classroom, College Math Literacy Workers are able to develop a personal connection with their students to get a better understanding of how they think and learn. As a result, the MLWs are able to create games and activities for their students that emphasize learning in a hands-on way. In addition to making math more accessible, the College Math Literacy Workers also enforce mathematical literacy among students by highlighting the importance of student voice, their sense of agency in the classroom, and how the way they think about math shapes their identity.  

Program Highlights

• What's a category?

  

  Unit Circle Basketball Game

  Instead of a traditional pen-and-paper test, the College Math Literacy Workers created a basketball game where each spot on the court corresponded to a space on the Unit Cirlce.

• Category 2

  

  College Math Literacy Workers

  After each class period, the College Math Literacy Workers collectively debreif the day and work on plans for the next class period.

• category 3 goes here?

  

  A Typical Class Period

  On any given class period in an Accessible Calculus class, you will find students working collaboratively, along with support from their teacher and College Math Literacy Workers