Social Identities As Learners And Teachers Of Mathematics.

Case-studies conducted as part of a longitudinal study of mathematics teaching and learning in primary (elementary) classrooms were originally intended to shed light on children's mathematical understandings. It became clear, however, that mathematical understanding and attainment were inseparable from the social identities as learners of mathematics that children were able to adopt. Such identities are not ‘givens' but are situated and made possible through the affordances and constraints the classroom cultures. In the first half of the chapter I explore the emergence of social identities as learners of mathematics and in the second half examine how shifting our attention from identities to relations has implications for how classrooms might be organized to allow more children access to a social identity as a successful mathematician. Key words: primary (elementary) mathematics, social identities, situated learning relations, classroom culture [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]