The broader messages that we communicate through our choice of mathematical problems—how to do math, what math is for, and who it applies to—may privilege some students and exclude others. If “excellence in mathematics requires equity—high expectations and strong support for all students” (NCTM 2000, p. 12), one way to work toward equity within the classroom is to be careful about the messages we send to students through our problem choices.
Mathew D. Felton, mdfelton@wisc.edu, has taught math content courses for future teachers of grades K–8 at the University of Wisconsin in Madison. He is interested in the social and political implications of mathematics teaching and learning.