Episode 9:
Beyond the Numbers: Rethinking Math for AAPI Learners
with Dr. Theodore Sagun, Teacher Educator
Do you struggle to rest?
Dr. Theodore Sagun – professor, researcher, and teacher educator at UCLA – joins us to dismantle the “natural math genius” myth and paint a picture of culturally responsive math instruction where students’ identities, languages, and thinking are at the center.
LISTEN OR WATCH NOW:
“The model minority myth tells Asian students they’re supposed to be good at math – and when they struggle, they blame themselves.”
Dr. Theodore Sagun
What you learn in this episode:
Why “being good at math” isn’t speed or perfect grades, and how that belief harms kids’ confidence.
What a culturally responsive math classroom looks like: trust, check-ins, and seeing every child as capable.
How math learning shifts when students explain strategies, discuss ideas, and build on one another’s thinking.
What “productive struggle” is and why the process of solving matters as much as the answer.
How parents can support math at home by asking better questions instead of solving problems for their kids.
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About the Guest
Dr. Theodore Sagun is a professor, researcher, and teacher educator at UCLA where he has worked with countless pre-service teachers in the teacher education program.
He is the co-author of Equity Moves to Support MultilingualLearners in Mathematics and Science, Grades K-8. He is a former high school mathematics teacher and Associate Director of the UCLA Mathematics Project and has trained countless in-service and pre-service teachers to center student thinking in math and culturally relevant practices.
At the California state level, Theodore has twice been appointed to California’s Mathematics Curriculum Framework and Evaluation Criteria Committee, helping to shape the direction of math education for millions of students across the state of California.
Find Dr. Sagun:
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