During her 2019 Fulbright Teacher Exchange to Peru, middle school teacher Satoia Wright of Philadelphia witnessed how math transcends country borders, “The Fulbright Teachers for Global Classrooms Program showed me that mathematic competencies are global competencies.” Reflecting on local Hispanic communities in Philadelphia, Wright sought to break down language barriers deterring Spanish-speaking students from mastering algebra. She created Intro to Algebra One in Spanish, a pay-what-you-can summer program for middle schoolers held from July 26 – August 13, 2021. The program was the first core subject course taught in a foreign language during SummerSessions at the Friends Select School, where Wright teaches. It also marked the first time the school offered a pay-what-you-can model. By increasing access to quality math instruction, Wright hopes her students apply algebraic concepts beyond the classroom, “Students can and should use mathematics to critically explore, engage with and take action within their local and global communities.”
Learn more about this program and Satoia’s work in this article from The Philadelphia Inquirer.
Satoia Wright is an alum of the 2018-2019 Fulbright Teachers for Global Classrooms Program, United States to Peru.