Transforming From the Bottom Up: Book Review of Mathematics for Equity

Transforming from the Bottom Up:
A Book Review of Mathematics for Equity: A Framework for Successful Practice1

James Sheldon

The University of Arizona

Mathematics for Equity: A Framework for Successful Practice is the latest edited volume in James Banks’s Multicultural Education Series published by Teachers College Press. Mathematics for Equity is a collection of 14 chapters, 4 are revisions of previously published work and 10 are new chapters, written specifically for this volume. Collectively, the 14 chapters tell the story of Railside High School, a school where mathematics teachers successfully transformed their mathematics department to create classrooms in which all students could success- fully tackle challenging mathematics. The book is divided into four parts: Part I: The Railside Approach, Part II: Student Experiences at Railside, Part III: Teacher Learning and Professional Community, and Part IV: Moving On and Looking Forward. The book, in many ways, offers a story of inspiration and hope, ground- ed in research, for secondary mathematics teachers who wish to transform their own mathematics departments.