Humanizing Rational Numbers in Middle School

Abstract

The goal of this paper is to re-examine the curricular framework of math education, particularly around rational numbers in early middle school. Through an exploration of math achievement data, research on successful organizations and systems, research on learning theory, research on math learning theory, the importance of understanding the rational number domain as a sequential step to the academic gateway of algebra, and the physio-cultural evolution of our number system, arguments and strategies for humanizing rational numbers for students are presented. 

The author hypothesizes that a dual pronged approach of 1) increasing students' sense of agency and belonging in the math classroom by offering students a way to recognize themselves as successive participants in the global journey of math, and 2) providing base-10 contextualized algorithmic lessons that demystify common operational stumbling blocks within the rational number domain, holds the potential to appease both sides of the math education debate (accessibility vs. rigor) and increase students' math achievement by laying the groundwork for their further studies in STEM fields.