Papers by Jayasree Subramanian
On whose tongue will the goddess write, in whose tongue will the state speak? Mathematics education, Tamil language, and the caste question in India
ZDM – Mathematics Education
Prometeica - Revista de Filosofía y Ciencias
Textbooks function as an important resource for teaching and learning of mathematics at the schoo... more Textbooks function as an important resource for teaching and learning of mathematics at the school level across the world. At least at the primary grades the contents of textbooks are situated in the larger society around the learners, in order that the learners can relate to what is taught to them. This opens the possibility for textbooks to uncritically reinforce the prevailing stereotypes or use the opportunity textbook provide to creatively break the stereotypes. Mathematics education research has engaged with the question of gender stereotypes in mathematics textbooks which has had an impact how gender figures in textbooks. However, gender is neither a binary nor monolithic. In the Indian context, gender is not the only social hierarchy that operates. The National Curriculum Framework 2005(hence forth referred to as NCF 2005) addresses the question of prevailing stereotypes about children from social margins and says care must be taken to ensure that the curriculum, textbooks a...
Prometeica - Revista de Filosofía y Ciencias
In this essay, we contextualize a call for strengthening equity and social justice research in ma... more In this essay, we contextualize a call for strengthening equity and social justice research in mathematics education by inserting the mathematics education enterprise into two world events of 2020: the global COVID-19 pandemic and the global resurgence of the Black Lives Matter movement. We do so to underscore how white colonialism is forever present everywhere in structures and institutions around the globe, including those of the mathematics education enterprise. We briefly describe the logics of white supremacy and settler colonialism and then combined them into a compounding scheme of colonizing white supremacist logics. Next, we feature recent USA-based mathematics education research to illustrate some different possibilities when equity and social justice research is indeed strengthened through critical interrogations of white supremacy and settler colonialism. We conclude the essay with a justification for getting in good trouble, necessary trouble.
School mathematics as a tool for spreading religious fundamentalism: The case of 'Vedic mathematics' in India
There is a widely held belief that mathematics and school mathematics curriculum are apolitical e... more There is a widely held belief that mathematics and school mathematics curriculum are apolitical even though critical thinkers in mathematics education have challenged this claim and pointed to how the larger socio-political context determines what mathematics is, what mathematics should be taught in school and how it should be taught. Often the political nature of mathematics is hidden from us. This paper seeks to argue that while holding on to the belief that mathematics is apolitical, there is an attempt by a certain section in India to use school mathematics curriculum as a tool to spread Hindu religious fundamentalism and that Vedic mathematics becomes an ideal component for achieving this. The paper also seeks to argue that Vedic mathematics would alienate not just the religious minorities but also those from the marginalized castes.
Perceiving and Producing Merit
Indian Journal of Gender Studies, 2007
This article documents the experiences of women scientists in research institutions in India, and... more This article documents the experiences of women scientists in research institutions in India, and attempts to demonstrate that contrary to the claims made by the institutions in deciding who gets to do science, gender figures at various levels in shaping the career of a scientist. Using the narratives of women scientists, structured interviews and the data collected from research institutions, this article attempts to problematise the notion prevalent among scientists that talent for doing science is inherent in a person, and if it is there it will reveal itself irrespective of the external conditions. The article tries to argue that such a notion and the resultant practice leads to selecting a few as meritorious and deserving, who are further nurtured, while others are expected to prove themselves many times before opportunities are made available for them. Women rarely figure among the meritorious few. In order that women get equal opportunity to participate in the scientific ende...
Transforming the Elementary Mathematics Curriculum: Issues and Challenges 63 4. Transforming the Elementary Mathematics Curriculum: Issues and Challenges
epiSTEME, 2009
It is well acknowledged that 'fractions' is one of the most complex topics in the primary and mid... more It is well acknowledged that 'fractions' is one of the most complex topics in the primary and middle school curriculum. There has been a considerable amount of research on teaching and learning of fractions in the last few decades and the curriculum design in the West. A Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) in collaboration with an education research institute is engaged in similar attempts in the Indian context. This paper is a report of our trials in two schools on introducing fractions to primary school children using a combination of share and measure interpretation.
One mathematics for all: can it be realized in a multicultural, multilingual country?
Intercultural Education, 2015
In this paper, situated in the context of elementary and secondary school mathematics curriculum ... more In this paper, situated in the context of elementary and secondary school mathematics curriculum in India, I argue that centrally determined uniform curriculum would have very little to offer a large majority of students in a country that is diverse in many ways.
The Topic Study Group 33 at ICME-13 (TSG33) provided a venue for discussion by researchers and pr... more The Topic Study Group 33 at ICME-13 (TSG33) provided a venue for discussion by researchers and practitioners from different countries who are passionate about issues of equity and are working in their particular settings toward achieving the goal of mathematics for all. Certainly variations exist among countries in the terms used (e.g. equity, diversity, inclusivity, social justice) and the targeted groups (e.g. based on race, indigeneity, socioeconomic background, physical and cognitive disabilities). Our understanding of the complexity of issues related to opportunity to learn, participation in, and achievement in, mathematics have also changed as new theoretical models have informed our collective work. The aims of TSG33 sessions included, but were not limited to the following:
Perceiving and producing merit: Gender and doing science in India
Abstract This article documents the experiences of women scientists in research institutions in I... more Abstract This article documents the experiences of women scientists in research institutions in India, and attempts to demonstrate that contrary to the claims made by the institutions in deciding who gets to do science, gender figures at various levels in shaping the career of ...
Perceiving and producing merit: Gender and doing science in India
Abstract This article documents the experiences of women scientists in research institutions in I... more Abstract This article documents the experiences of women scientists in research institutions in India, and attempts to demonstrate that contrary to the claims made by the institutions in deciding who gets to do science, gender figures at various levels in shaping the career of ...
Based on a three week study conducted with students (n ~ 42) at a government girls school in rura... more Based on a three week study conducted with students (n ~ 42) at a government girls school in rural Madhya Pradesh, this paper analyses some of the difficulties surrounding the teaching and learning of the standard long division algorithm, and argues that an alternate approach based on sharing makes for a more flexible and effective teaching of division. The work done is preliminary, but offers insights into developing an alternate teaching-learning trajectory for division beginning at the primary school level.
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Papers by Jayasree Subramanian