The prestigious Mathematical Association of America’s Mary P. Dolciani Award celebrates outstanding contributions in mathematics education and typically goes to mathematicians. But this year, Vanderbilt Peabody College scholar Nicole Joseph shifted the norm. An associate professor of teaching and learning, she will be presented with the honor in August at the MAA’s annual awards ceremony in Boston.
Joseph joined Peabody College of education and human development in 2016. Throughout her 26-year career, she has explored the intersection of race and gender in math learning as both a math teacher and a professor of education. Those years of work are reflected in her recent book, Making Black Girls Count in Math Education: A Black Feminist Vision for Transformative Teaching.
The MAA highlighted Joseph’s enduring career and the significant contributions she has made toward building math learning environments that welcome all students. Notably, she also created Measuring Inclusive Constructs of Mathematics Identity, one of the first measurable frameworks to provide educators with meaningful ways to support inclusive learning environments. Joseph is preparing to go on sabbatical while she finishes a paper on that project, which will also include professional development and a range of support materials that can be used in classrooms.
Joseph exudes joy and enthusiasm, and she believes that everybody can learn math. Her work has shown that providing a more relaxed setting helps students, and especially Black girls, succeed in school. In fact, a key finding of her studies is that integrating academic and social learning improves outcomes. Read on to learn more about Joseph’s work and motivation, in her own words.
What wisdom would you pass along to future math educators?
Build relationships with mathematicians, and don’t be afraid of their world. That’s how I got connected with the Math Alliance, a mentorship program that helps students break into graduate studies in mathematical, statistical and quantitative sciences. I was able to provide workshops for mathematicians about mentoring students of color, which I really enjoyed. My approach has always been that the wisdom is in the room. And I’ve always started by meeting people where they are and building relationships from that.
Did you always love math?
Yes, but it really grew out of experience and advocacy. In third grade, I was raising my hand in math class and not getting called on. My mom happened to witness that, and she said some things to the teacher. Not long after, I was moved into an advanced class. That really was the beginning of the rest of my life in terms of falling in love with math. The power that I felt in math helped me to do better in other classes. And then when I became a teacher, I did everything I could to help my students fall in love with this amazing tool. Had my mom not advocated for me, I don’t know where I would have been.
“The power that I felt in math helped me to do better in other classes.”
On being a “math” person:
No one will ever say, ‘I’m not a reading person.’ But they are quick to say, ‘I’m not a math person.’ I think people feel like you’re either born with a math brain or you’re not. And as a math teacher, that is nuts. That is not true. You just need a great teacher.
Your work encourages a relaxed model for math learning. What does this look like in practice?
Let students bring their full humanity into the room—music, conversation, even a little joking—as long as the work gets done. I’ve seen students singing, talking about their weekend, and still doing excellent math work. The key is also to treat half-baked answers as part of the learning process and ask the right questions to keep students engaged. We want students to feel safe taking risks.
What advice would you give to young girls interested in pursuing math?
Find or start a math club, speak up when you don’t understand, and advocate for a strong academic path early on. I want girls and their families to advocate more, in particular that they get in algebra by eighth grade. I also encourage girls to read books where Black girls are the protagonists in STEM stories, because representation helps them see themselves in those spaces.
“I want girls and their families to advocate more.”
Why do you think your book, Making Black Girls Count in Mathematics, has been so impactful?
The book brings together years of research and a bigger story about identity, recognition and belonging. My research has shown that in many cases, Black girls are at the lowest part of the achievement hierarchy in math. They are not earning math degrees in the same way that their counterparts are. And it’s lost talent. I think this book has opened up conversations around that issue.
What career achievements are you most proud of?
I’m especially proud of my book. It was a labor of love, but it’s probably five years of research showing why it’s so important to support Black girls in math—and how to do it.
I’m also proud of the talk I gave for Unbound Education to more than 1,000 K-12 teachers. And I did another big talk with CPM, who develops math textbooks. We had curriculum developers in the room, we had teachers and we had math coaches in the room. I’m proud because of the audience I reached and the national scope of these events. I feel like the conversations and the opening of the doors were very wide and went beyond math education research.
