II. Classroom Culture & Environment

Culturally Sustaining Pedagogy

Why is classroom culture and environment important in math class?

Classroom culture and environment shape students' perceptions of themselves as learners and how they engage with math. Math can often carry anxiety and fixed mindsets of ability; thus, cultivating an emotionally safe, inclusive, and affirming space enables students to take risks, embrace mistakes, persist through challenges tasks, become part of a math community and ultimately improve their mathematical numeracy.

A positive classroom culture supports self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship skills, and responsible decision-making. In math, this translates into students feeling confident to explore mathematical thinking, collaborate with peers, and build resilience when tasks become difficult. When students feel seen, respected, and valued, they are more likely to engage deeply and authentically with numeracy learning.

Definitions:

Culture in a math class refers to the shared beliefs, attitudes, norms, and expectations around learning and doing mathematics. This includes how students see themselves as math learners, how they relate to mistakes, and how they view and reflect on their own and others' capabilities. Drawing from Jo Boaler and Carol Dweck, a healthy culture emphasizes a growth mindset—the belief that mathematical ability can grow with effort, feedback, and learning from mistakes.

Environment refers to the physical and emotional conditions of the classroom, including how safe, welcoming, and inclusive the space feels. Nicholas Yoder’s framework encourages educators to create affirming learning environments where students' identities are acknowledged, and diverse ways of knowing are celebrated. In a math class, this means having materials that reflect different learners, routines that promote collaboration, and a tone that values exploration over correctness.

Mathematical Habits of Mind

“Students who have developed a productive disposition are confident in their knowledge and ability. They see that mathematics is both reasonable and intelligible and believe that, with appropriate effort and experience, they can learn. It is counterproductive for students to believe that there is some mysterious ‘math gene’ that determines their success in mathematics. Hence, our view of mathematical proficiency goes beyond being able to understand, compute, solve, and reason. It includes a disposition toward mathematics that is personal. Mathematically proficient people believe that mathematics should make sense, that they can figure it out, that they can solve mathematical problems by working hard on them, and that becoming mathematically proficient is worth the effort.”

(National Research Council, 2001)


	Positive Classroom Norms (Jo Boaler)

Growth Mindset

A healthy classroom culture encourages a growth mindset, promotes mathematical discourse, and engages students in collaborative problem-solving routines. Teachers in SD72 build supportive relationships with students and plan their instruction to include opportunities for rich questioning and formative feedback.

In the process of explicitly teaching math competencies and skills, teachers also define key terms, model effective strategies, provide exemplars, co-create rubrics. and provide multiple opportunities to practice and self-assess.

	Resource Description	Link to Resource
1.	Guide to creating a robust mathematical learning environment	The Third Teacher
2.	Eight research-based essential mathematics practices in student friendly language	Numeracy Practices Student Centered Language
3.	8 Effective Math Teaching Practices - Published in a report from the NCTM	Eight Effective Mathematics Teaching Practices
4.	A collection of self-assessment template connected to the BC Core Competencies	SEL Self-Assessments
5.	Adapted from Necessary Conditions by Geoff Krall	How to BE a Math person
6.	Table connecting the 4 pillars of the BC Math curriculum K-9 and SEL	Integrating SEL and Math Competencies
7.	1-page (PDF) outline of the BC Core Competencies with descriptors	Core Competencies
8.	Mathematical mindset journal templates (Jo Boaler)	Mindset Journal