A Heart-Centered Stance: Receptivity to Algebra Teachers’ and Students’ Multidimensional Experiences.

The algebra classroom in urban public high schools in the United States is a complex space, ripe with many challenges and opportunities. In this paper I introduce the notion of a heart-centered stance for the teacher and the educator and a method of engaging in creative expression for reflection and introspection toward individual change in the rich context of the high school algebra classroom. My evolving relationships with two high school algebra teachers, observations of their classrooms, as well as my own self-study and professional growth, are incorporated into this paper as I introduce and exemplify two tenets of a heart-centered stance: multidimensionality of experience and receptivity to relatedness. This study suggests the possibility of using creative artistic expression and a self-study approach to support the transformation of educators’ perspectives toward research, creative activities, and outreach that are receptive to the mathematical experiences of teachers and students in our local communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]