The Calculus Project, an organization that develops and executes research-backed strategies that improve mathematics education for underrepresented students, is expanding its operations nationwide, allowing more students to perform better in their schooling and explore potential careers in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) fields.
The Calculus Project began in 2009 at Brookline High, in Massachusetts, after founder Dr. Adrian B. Mims observed the historical underachievement in mathematics by Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) students, as well as those from low-income families. It aims to change the culture of underachievement by students from these backgrounds and allow them to enroll and succeed in the study of calculus in their senior year. This involves a series of interventions beginning in the seventh grade until their senior year, such as pre-teaching math lessons during the summer, and re-teaching/tutoring the full sequence of mathematics courses from grades 8 through 12 during the school year.
For demographically diverse schools, The Calculus Project intentionally populates high-level math classes with a critical mass of BIPOC and low-income students (between 30% and 50% of the class), which creates a more comfortable and productive academic setting for these students. Other aspects include after-school study groups, peer teaching programs, and the Pride Curriculum, which teaches students about the achievements of STEM professionals from minority ethnic backgrounds, which inspires students to see themselves in the field.
In 2014, The Calculus Project expanded to the Newton and Milton districts in Massachusetts, then it gradually opened in more schools in Massachusetts and Florida. It also recently partnered with the Young Women’s Leadership Academy in Fort Worth, Texas, which sharpens its focus in improving math education outcomes for girls.
The project was an extension of Mims' doctoral dissertation and Boston College, which was titled Improving African-American Achievement in Geometry Honors.
“The reason schools exist is to educate students and give them all the skills needed to prepare them for the future. If students are graduating from a high school that has not equipped them to read, write, and do math at a very high level, then that school didn't help them – it actually hurt them. The physician's oath includes the concept of 'do no harm', and I believe it should be the same for teachers. If we can help make sure that schools are operating thoughtfully and provide students with everything that they need, then we are going to see more students excelling in their studies and becoming happier with their high school experiences,” Mims says.
With its nationwide expansion, The Calculus Project will be able to work with more schools throughout the United States, providing its guidance to school administrators in creating a program that will help historically underrepresented students excel in mathematics, which increases the chances of them finishing school and obtaining a better life for themselves and their families. The program also hopes to inspire its students to choose a profession in the various STEM fields, making them more demographically diverse.
“Helping students excel in math and inspiring them to choose a STEM career can be very life-changing. A particular young man from one of our previous cohorts in Brookline, completed the program with The Calculus Project. He graduated from a reputable college and immediately accepted a job as a mechanical engineer earning roughly 70,000 dollars. This can be achieved by all students with the right kind of help and guidance, regardless of your background or ethnicity the possibilities are endless.” Mims says.
Media Contact:
Name:Adrian B. Mims
Email: [email protected]
Email: https://thecalculusproject.org/?page_id=83
