Pathways and Pitfalls on the Road to Equity in Mathematics Classrooms

Abstract

The article describes the foundational principles and central design features of the Math
Pathways & Pitfalls (MPP) intervention curriculum for elementary grades and illustrates challenges in
creating MPP-like middle school algebra readiness materials. We describe key design features and discuss
how they support language, discourse, and equity development. The article offers vignettes created from
recent middle school classroom observations and teacher interviews to illustrate the particular instructional
pathways and pitfalls emerging in the pilot of MPP-like algebra readiness student and teacher materials.