Mathematics achievement continues to be a critical indicator of success. Efforts to reform mathematics curricula and instruction include a focus on increased student participation and on strengthening the connections between mathematics and students’ lives outside the classroom. In this article, the author discusses the importance of considering the role of the students’ social environment in determining how students will participate in mathematics classroom activities and in determining what kinds of connections can be made to life outside the classroom. It is argued that these issues may be particularly important for students in urban environments who are not sheltered from the realities of the real world.
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