Response to Herbel-Eisenmann & Wagner (2007): Textbooks

As a former high school student, I followed the command words in math textbook practice problems without question. I rarely examined the instructions unless they included an unfamiliar story, graphic, or a "things you might not know" section. I struggled with self-learning math, which may have been influenced by my exposure to textbooks that felt impersonal, as if the instructions were not written for me. In the U.S., most math classes I observed did not use textbooks directly; instead, teachers provided pre-prepared, hole-punched, fill-in-the-blank notes and worksheets for students to store in binders. While teachers referred to textbooks to inform their lessons, students rarely had direct access to them. At the time, I thought this approach was advantageous solely because it spared students from carrying heavy textbooks.

Currently, the practicum school I am teaching at faces budget constraints that prevent every student from having a textbook or workbook. Some classes, like Pre-Calculus 11, use individual workbooks, while others, like Math 9 and Workplace Math 11, do not. My experiences with these varied approaches, combined with our class discussions on textbook usage, have made me more critical and aware of their role. I now feel empowered as a teacher to influence how textbooks are used, ensuring they serve as valuable tools rather than rigid guides.    

When I was in school, math textbooks were the only type of mathematical book that I had access to. Our small school library did not have math story books for casual reading. Then, I got into more and more nonfiction books about math, such as "How Not to be Wrong: The Power of Mathematical Thinking" by Jordan Ellenberg, "Mathematics for Human Flourishing" by Francis Su", as well as other nonfictions subtly discussing topics in math like "Invisible Women: Data Bias in the World Designed for Men" by Caroline Criado Perez. They opened me up to a different approach to learn math - one that promotes more relevance, critical thinking, and storytelling. They made me question if math textbooks should be the "standards" and guidelines for learning math. Unlike most math textbooks, which focus on discrete skills, these books categorize content by concepts and broader topics, promoting connections and deeper understanding. This has shaped my view of textbooks as guidelines, problem banks, and secondary resources rather than definitive curricula. Textbooks are valuable aids for teachers, particularly for those just starting, but lesson content and progression should not rely solely on them. I see textbooks as a "box" that provides structure and security, but effective teaching requires thinking outside that box—designing engaging lessons, tailoring content to students' needs, and responding to the evolving demands of knowledge and skills in our world.