While my own deep love for maths at school motivated me to take the subject to degree level, as a learner, I struggled with persistent stereotypes around maths. 

These caused me to question whether the subject was really for me; thinking that I was not confident enough or good enough to excel; that other people (especially males) were smarter at maths than I was. 

Observing the impact this had on my own relationship to the subject, as well as on my mental health, inspired me to choose a career that explores how the social aspect of maths may deter a wide range of students from pursuing their mathematics and science interests in further education and beyond. 

We face a challenge that new generations of diverse learners are being dissuaded from entering STEM careers and we struggle to show that maths can (and should) be inclusive – so the cycle continues. 

Thankfully, there are well-researched strategies that schools and teachers can put in place now to help break that cycle and prove to their learners that maths is truly for everyone. 

Think critically about your classroom and how you view maths as a subject

Many schools and classrooms reproduce and embed stereotypes around maths without being conscious of what is happening. 

Whenever I work with teachers, I ask them to stop and reflect on which learners in their lessons they consider to be good at maths and why. And what environment are they creating in their classroom as a result?

Do they believe that some students have natural talent, whereas others do not? Do they buy into the idea that maths is difficult – and even that it should be difficult? 

If so, they will be doing something that is, sadly, common to many educators - students can pick up on cues that you “either have it or you don’t” when it comes to maths learning presenting a barrier to some students that can feel insurmountable for them.

The truth is that maths is a broad subject and there are many areas in which students can find success and enjoyment. Perhaps algebra feels like magic to them, whereas geometry does not. Some might even be using mathematics in innovative ways in their own lives, which don’t get validated in the classrooms. Ideally, the atmosphere educators create in their teaching space will reflect this feeling of broadness, diversity and variety, and thus maximise engagement and inclusivity for all types of learners.

Make room to celebrate different styles of maths learning

As part of reflecting on how social aspects of maths play out in the classroom, teachers also need to think critically about what behaviours they are rewarding and promoting, and how this could impact students from different backgrounds.

Are they giving extra recognition to students who answer quickly? Students who answer the loudest? If so, they may be unwittingly validating what is perceived as more masculine ways of engaging with in-class learning.

In some cultures and sub-cultures, certain individuals are discouraged from speaking in groups and/or to authority figures in ways that are more acceptable in other cultures. Similarly, our family background and personality types can mean our intelligence is expressed in ways that some teachers might not automatically recognise and reward. 

This can encourage inequalities to manifest in the classroom, perpetuating ideas that maths is “for” a select few people, rather than everyone, and ultimately preventing many talented, capable learners from further study. 

Just as one example to illustrate how this can translate long-term, consider that just 4.4% of the maths intake at university level are black students (ASPIRES report).

To help address the issue, seek out opportunities to give different students their own individual “aha” moment in maths, that can really help to impart and solidify their enjoyment. Give them time to consider their answers. 

Try not to put naturally shy or quieter pupils on the spot in front of their peers. The Equity Compass, which I have been part of co-developing with the UCL Institute of Education, offers a helpful framework to guide teachers’ reflection on in-class approaches and why this reflection matters. 

Support learners to make maths meaningful for them

To find aspects of maths that will really fire up all learners, whatever their background, needs or abilities, look for opportunities to embed projects that are important for students as individuals. These projects should really matter to learners’ own unique lives and communities. 

Perhaps it is creating a budget for an event that excites them, exploring the numbers behind the success of their favourite celebrity, or calculating solutions and problem-solving around a world issue that’s close to their heart. 

As part of this process, don’t be afraid to stop and ask learners: how does maths make them feel? What do they want from it? Discovering these answers and motivations can help teachers make the subject far more relevant to every student - and therefore far more engaging.

One initiative that is great at focusing students’ STEM experiences beyond the classroom is the UCL-based Making Spaces, for which I currently lead research and development. This hands-on initiative empowers students and practitioners to share materials, skills and ideas around how to create equitable experiences for young people in STEM across the globe.  

Link up with hyperlocal STEM spaces where possible

You don’t have to go far, or think internationally, to bring maths to life in a truly meaningful way. Community-informed and-led projects can be just as impactful for young people!

Generally speaking, when learners master STEM and study it into adulthood, they can unlock powerful positions and resources in later life. By showing students the impact they can have in their own communities through STEM, we empower them to see maths as part of a big, exciting picture; something they can use to take them far in life.

Look for STEM-based initiatives near you and collaborate with local industry and diverse STEM role models where possible. 

Find out what is meaningful for your students and the communities and neighbourhoods they come from. Connect them to local professionals who use maths in their lives beyond the high-status STEM jobs. 

These engagements and experiences can lower the obstacles students may have in their heads when considering STEM options, and contemplating the value and importance of maths in their wider lives.

Move beyond equality into equity

Over the years, the education sector has talked a lot about achieving equality for our students. But for me, equality is not enough: ideally, we can go further. And by that, I mean that the sector can strive for equity.

It is important for all of us in education to acknowledge that the framework we are in is unequal, not just in the UK but the whole world. Both national and global systems privilege the advantaged above all. 

Teaching should therefore not be about giving the same resources to everyone, but recognising that some learners are systematically disadvantaged and therefore need more support, and more opportunities than their peers. This is a large-scale problem and it can feel daunting, but each one of us can make a difference by challenging the current system, tackling the inequalities and dismantling the barriers that exist for certain groups.

To be clear, equity and social justice should not be a side project - not limited to one person in each school who does one programme. Instead, it involves actively embedding equity into everything we do, from planning to teacher recruitment to classroom practices; ensuring we are offering differentiated support.

It’s a huge change to initiate, of course, which is why it’s important to connect, work together, share resources, and hear all voices.

The reward for doing so would be immense on many levels. I may have felt like a misfit as a young maths learner myself - and I know many others have had that same experience - and the reality is that many are still going through that experience as young learners right now.

We can interrupt this pattern if we broaden our ideas of who and what can be included in school maths. Together, we can build that space for everyone.

Access Dr Meghna’s episode of the podcast, and many more, by subscribing to Pearson’s The Right Angle podcast.

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