Applying Equity Principle in Mathematic Learning

This paper is arranged to fulfill Basics of Mathematics Learning Process Task

By:
Septi Tri Widiastuti 4101414049
Annisa Azizatul Imani 4101414051
Muhamad Masfuat 4101414059
Muhammad Nur Chalim 4101414101

MATHEMATICS DEPARTMENT
MATHEMATICS AND NATURAL SCIENCES FACULTY
SEMARANG STATE UNIVERSITY
2016
 APPLYING EQUITY PRINCIPLE IN MATHEMATICS
LEARNING
Writer: Septi Tri W, Annisa Azizatul I, Muhamad Masfuat, Muhamad Nur Chalim

ABSTRACT
Education is the process of educating or teaching to develop the knowledge, skill, or
character of students. To create a better education system in the country its not only role of
student but its include of many part, such as teacher, school administrasion, comite of school,
and other education professional. All the part of education has iportant role for make decision
about the eduction system. Make this decision should based on professional guidance that is
principle of in school mathematic. One of the principle in school matematic is equity principle.
Its mean that every student has the same right and obligalion in learning process. In indonesia,
about equity principle is cover by Undang-Undang Nomor 20 year 2003 which state that there
is no discriminative in education. Equity principle has three requirement. First, equity requires
high expectations and worthwhile opportunities for all. Its mean mathematics should be able
to make expectation what they want to get after they learn methematics. Second, Equity
requires accomodating differences to help everyone learn mathematics. Its mean that all
students can get the fair treatment according to their ability in different environment. Third,
Equity requires resources and support for all classroom students. Its mean in order to pursue
equity in education, resources and supports are needed, the main resource that should be
noticed is teacher as human resource, based on all the information we know that its important
to apply equity principle in our national education system.

Keywords : Equity Principle, Education system, Learning Process

INTRODUCTION
Education is the process whereby the society, through educational institutions (schools,
colleges or through other institutions), deliberately transforming the cultural heritage, the
knowledge, values and skills, from generation to generation (Dwi Siswoyo : 2007). Its mean
that the society has the big role for development of education. To create a better education
system in the country its not only role of student but its include the member of educational
institutions, such as teacher, school administrasion, comite of school, and other education
professional. So, It is important to create a decisions made by teachers, school administrators,
and other education professionals about the content and character of school mathematics that
have important consequences both for students and for society. These decisions should be
based on sound professional guidance, one of the guidance is principle (NCTM: 2000). The
Principles describe particular features of high-quality mathematics education. There are 6
principle in school mathematic, that are equity principle, curriculum principle, teaching
principle, learning principle, assesment principle and techology principle. All the principle
useful for guidance to create a better education system.
 One of the principle in learning is equity priciple. Sometime the word equity is same as
fairness. Excellence in mathematics eduaction requaire equity, high expectation and strong
support for all student. Educational equity is a core element of this vision. All students,
regardless of their personal characteristics, backgrounds, or physical challenges, must have
opportunities to study and support to learn mathematics. Equity does not mean that every
student should receive identical instruction; instead, it demands that reasonable and appropriate
accommodations be made as needed to promote access and attainment for all students. Equity
has 3 basic characteristic, that are first, equity requaire high expectations and worthwhile
opportunities for all. Second, Equity requaires accomodating differences to help everyone learn
mathematics. Third, Equity requires resources and support for all classroom students. About
the equity principle, in the most of county in the world give the legal law for this principle. For
example in indonesia, the law about education system indonesia is written on Undang-Undang
No. 20 year 2003 about national education system. In the pasal 4 on first ayat it is state that
Education held in a democratic and fair and non-discriminatory with respect human rights,
religious values, cultural values, and the diversity of the nation. Here we must underline the
word no discriminatory. Its mean that in education every student has the same right and
obligation in receiving the education. From that information, we can conclude that we need
equity principle in education system.

CONTENT
2.1 Equity requires high expectations and worthwhile opportunities for all.

Equity Principle in learning mathematicsis giving something to each member of the

mathematics lesson in accordance with its rights must be obtained without being asked, not
biased or impartial to either party, understand their rights and obligations, to understand what
is right and what is wrong, act honestly and fixed according to the prescribed rules (Anyon,
1980). Excellence in mathematics education requires equity--high expectations and strong
support for all students. Equity does not mean that all students should receive identical
instruction, rather it means that all students should have access to meaningful mathematics and
that reasonable and appropriate accommodations be made to promote attainment for all
students.

Many students even those who are successful develop negative ideas about math and
see the subject as something that is ultimately uninteresting and quite separate fromtheir lives.
Persistent failure and disinterest in mathematics is of particular concern given the growing
importance of mathematical reasoning and quantitative literacy to peoples lives and work,
and an increasingknowledge of the ways that unsuccessful mathematics experiences can impact
students well beyond the classroom (Boaler, 2016).. Despite the development of mathematics
education as a growing field of research in the last few decades, and the identification of
features of learning environments that bring about mathematical interest and high achievement,
tradi-tional teaching of mathematics endures. Indeed there is a large body of research
inmathematics education that shows the ways students can learn mathematics most effectively,
with evidence of increase engagement and achievement success, that is not taken up in
classrooms. There are many reasons for the gap between whatwe know works and what is used
in classrooms, one of them being the inaccessibility of research knowledge that is largely
contained in journals teachers do not read (Ball, 1993). New technologies giving teachers
access to research knowledge are helpingto cross the research-practice divide, especially when
they translate research knowledge into useable resources and ideasfor teaching. Positive
characteristics of mathematics classrooms include reasoningabout applied problems,
discussing mathematical ideas, and actively engaging in mathematical learning.

The vision of equity in mathematics education challenges a pervasive societal belief

that only some students are capable of learning mathematics. Low expectations are especially
problematic because students who live in poverty, students with disabilities, females, and many
students have traditionally been far more likely than their counterparts in other demographic
groups to be the victims of low expectations (NCTM , 2000). Expectations must be raised
mathematics can and must be learned by all students. The Equity Principle demands that high
expectations for mathematics learning be communicated in words and deeds to all students.
Teachers communicate expectations in their interactions with students during classroom
instruction, through their comments on students papers, when assigning students to
instructional groups, through the presence or absence of consistent support for students who
are striving for high levels of attainment, and in their contacts with significant adults in a
students life. These actions, along with decisions and actions taken outside the classroom to
assign students to different classes or curricula, also determine students opportunities to learn
and influence students beliefs about their own abilities to succeed in mathematics (NCTM ,
2000).. Schools have an obligation to ensure that all students participate in a strong
instructional program that supports their mathematics learning. High expectations can be
achieved in part with instructional programs that are interesting for students and help them see
the importance and utility of continued mathematical study for their own futures.

2.2 Equity Requires Accommodating Differences To Help Everyone Learn Mathematics.

Higher expectations are necessary, but they are not sufficient to accomplish the goal of
an equitable school mathematics education for all students (NCTM , 2000). An excellent and
equitable mathematics should be able accessed by all students in their classroom. Equity must
provide students with a fair learning environment.
Accommodating differences can be applied by teacher taking a first step toward equity
in their own classroom through four conceptions. Four conceptions are equity is about
instruction, equity is about creating a specific classroom environment, equity is about equal
opportunity, and equity is about appropriate curriculum ( Bartell and Meyer, 2008).
Equity is about instruction. The idea that some students may need no, or very little,
extra attention to succeed, some may need more. Equity is giving all students the necessary
tools/attention need to be successful (Bartell and Meyer, 2008). This statement tells to the
teachers that they have to be responsible that each student receive whatever they need to be
successful. It can be done by a variety of learning styles and problem solving methods.
Equity is about creating a specific classroom environment. The idea that all students
should be expected to achieve. The classroom should be set up in a way to convey the
expectation and make students responsible to work and achieve (Bartell and Meyer, 2008). It
is focused to the teachers that they may foster students to reach their high expectations.
Equity is about equal opportunity. The idea that all students should have equal
opportunities to reach their full potential. Gender, race, other language learners, etc. should all
be viewed with same potential (Bartell and Meyer, 2008). It is explained that students have the
same opportunity to take particular mathematics or may receive quality mathematics
instruction in their classroom.
Equity is about appropriate curriculum. Equity in a mathematics classroom requires
using materials that are relevant to students lives and using their background knowledge as a
starting point for discussions of math concepts (Bartell and Meyer, 2008). Teachers have to
make the lesson plan relevant to students and building on students life experiences to engage
more students in mathematics.
Besides the four conception for the teacher. Whenever happened in the classroom that
all children deserve the opportunity to develop their talents but may some students need more
assistance to reach their high mathematics expectations. Lack of academic or intellectual
challenge make the disengagement and students with low academic may need increased time
to complete their assignments. It is different with high academic students, may they can become
bored, restless, and unmotivated when they are repeatedly given work below their level of
achievement and are told they cannot work at their level. When these students are not given
opportunities to grow, they may not achieve what they are expected. These students do not
learn how to cope with academic challenge, which makes it very difficult or even impossible
for them to reach their full potential.
Students who have difficulty in mathematics may need additional resources, such as
after school programs, peer mentoring, or cross-age tutoring (NCTM, 2000). So they have a
more positive outlook on school, maintain an interesting in learning, develop socially and
emotionally, and sustain a healthy self-concept. Besides that, students with special interests or
exceptional talent in mathematics must be nurtured and supported by enrichment programs or
additional resources to challenge and engage them for making opportunity and guidance them
to excel.

2.3 Equity requires resources and support for all classrooms and all students.
Well-documented examples demonstrate that all children, including those who have
been traditionally underserved, can learn mathematics when they have access to high-quality
instructional programs that support their learning (Campbell 1995; Griffin, Case, and Siegler
1994; Knapp et al. 1995; Silver and Stein 1996 in NCTM 2000). These examples should
become the norm rather than the exception in school mathematics education. Equity itself could
mean more than nondiscrimination. It is a proactive stance that insists all students and
employees receive the support and resources needed to succeed and that equal treatment is a
non-negotiable and true priority (Edwin C. Darden,2016).
Achieving equity requires a significant allocation of human and material resources in
schools and classrooms. Instructional tools, curriculum materials, special supplemental
programs, and the skillful use of community resources undoubtedly play important roles. We
can see that nowadays, we are facing the reality that in digital era such infrastructure opens the
portal to a world of information, and new tools that support viewing, documenting, and playing
with information in school appear almost daily. Were told such tools engage our students and,
thus, support their learning. A project about school-based technology encourage each teacher
to think critically about the equity implications of technology use in classrooms. While equity
in school-based technology usage is often framed as all students having devices and access to
the Internet, this project which is called Smart Tech Use for Equity requires a higher
definition, the key is support the full human talent development of every student. It was being
uncovered that teachers visions for equity in classrooms including students getting
opportunity despite a label, making sure that all students leave classrooms with the skills
they need to succeed, students leaving 12th grade as confident collaborators and creative
thinkers, and helping students be curious, contribute to community, and get excited.
Technology is simply a potential tool for these higher goals. As its application in classroom,
teacher Jeri Aring had a vision: She wanted to support her 3rd-grade students abilities to
explain a math concept verbally or in writinga key expectation of the Common Core State
Standards. She videotaped students explaining math problems to each other using the basic
video feature on her iPad and showed the videos to them to clarify the elements of a rigorous
math explanation. Students then taped themselves explaining math problems to each other. All
of her students, including those who had struggled to explain math previously, explained
fractions and proportions in detail and correct way (Mica Pollock, 2016).
Instructional tools in School Mathematics Education is not necessary yet to make sure that
equity principle is applicable as we deal with low-income, ethnically diverse students (John
Woodward and Cyrus Brown, 2006). Besides, School Mathematics Education also face the
issue of student with learning disability which can be said as one of the most difficult arenas
for the equity principle since it obviously cause technical complexities of teaching as teacher
face mixed ability group of students. Teacher have to accomodate them to study by adjusting
teaching method with student different disability as this will affect their learning result.
However, pattern of a research results indicates that the curriculum that used research-based
principles found in the special education literature tended to lead to superior achievement and
attitudinal results. It also indicates that achieving a balance between sufficient opportunities
for success and tasks that require considerable effort and that may need to be solved through
small-group efforts, rather than individually, requires carefully designed curricular materials
and instructional practices (Woodward, 1999 in John Woodward and Cyrus Brown, 2006).
An even more important component is the professional development of teachers. One
of the way to develop teacher professional skill is through conventional teacher-workshop that
somehow difficult to pursue innovation goals, since not every school can held conventional
teacher-workshop, it depend on school or environtment condition. In other hand, teacher
competency that achieved by conventional teacher-workshop sometimes can not be
implemented in School, as if it just drown by school daily routinity.
Teachers professional skill requires them to understand the strengths and needs of
students who come from diverse linguistic and cultural backgrounds, who have specific
disabilities, or who possess a special talent and interest in mathematics. To accommodate
differences among students effectively and sensitively, teachers also need to understand and
confront their own beliefs and biases. This is why teacher dedication and creativity is matter,
teacher has to be ready to face the changes that always happen all around the world and be able
to apply innovation in their way of teaching. Teacher also should realize that they are preparing
their student to live in the dinamic society that full of competition. In order to prepare for that,
teacher have to initiate themself to develop their knowledge (especially mathematics as
mathematics teacher) through formal and informal education.

CONCLUSION
Equities are needed in the mathematics learning classroom. It can help all student to get their
expectation in mathematics by fair environment. Either low or high talent of student, they
can get same treathment. Excellence in mathematics education requires equity--high
expectations and strong support for all students. Equity does not mean that all students should
receive identical instruction, rather it means that all students should have access to meaningful
mathematics. To build a fair environment to support equity in the classroom teacher have to
understand the talent of students. It does not mean that every students should receive the
identical instruction. But it must be appropriate accommodation to reach the attainment for all
students actually it is not only in the classroom but also in their daily life. The requirement to
achieve equity are a significant allocation of human and material resources in schools and
classrooms such as instructional tools, curriculum materials, special supplemental programs,
and the skillful use of community resources. The more important component is the professional
development of teachers as those kind of teachers skill will affect the way teachers design the
learning process with applying equity principal so educational goal can be pursued.

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