Figuring Math: Knowledge and Agency in a Bilingual Early Childhood Classroom

The current U.S. sociopolitical climate has resurfaced long-held ideas associated with public perceptions concerning the Spanish language, Latin@s, and their portrayal in United States society. Amidst this climate, educators face the challenge of creating critical learning spaces for Latin@ bilingual children within multiple boundaries. This case study examines the pedagogical practices of an early childhood teacher who has co-constructed, with her students, a figured world where mathematics is part of everyday activities and children develop agency in their learning. Educational environments where Latin@ children use their resources as assets provide great leverage to counteract negative depictions of Latin@s in the U.S.