Recognizing Problems with Mathematical Literacy

During my research on Mathematical Literacy, I noticed that there exists many differentiating view points on how mathematics should be taught, what materials should teachers use, and of course the topic of textbooks as a primary tool to teach math.  Being a lover of mathematics, it was hard for me to understand those who didn't "get it" when I was a student.  I was always able to understand the concepts being presented to me, recognize the patterns, and be able to solve a given problem in a number of ways.  Since becoming a teacher and having the skills now to be able to teach to those who struggle with Mathematics, I realize that not everyone can relate to mathematics the way I could.

  

One aspect of teaching mathematics that I have noticed when using a textbook is that not every student can relate to the text.  Most textbooks are written for and contain problems that relate most closely to a white middle-class family  (Over the years, we are seeing a change in the names that are used for word problems.  What once was John and Samantha is changing to Jose and Maria).  This poses an issue because as a teacher of mathematics, you cannot expect every one of your students to become proficient users of mathematical literacy if they cannot relate to the problems to their real lives.  Thus, if a student cannot make the connection between school math and real-world math then they will most likely have greater difficulty trying to learn the material and make sense of the material.  They will ultimately fall short of the classmates in attempting to become literate in mathematics or numeracy.