RUME 28
2026
Alexandria, Virginia
“I’m Making This Math, Not Only Taking This Math”: Poetic Transcription of a Trans Student’s IO Calculus Experience
Page: 1266
Recent research shows that inquiry-oriented (IO) instruction can reproduce existing hierarchies, privileging dominant voices and marginalizing others. Our project explores what IO instruction can feel like when it creates a more affirming space, especially for students from historically excluded groups. Using poetic transcription, we share the experience of the first author, a trans undergraduate student, in an IO Calculus 2 course. The poem offers a hopeful story, illustrating how IO instruction can nurture belonging and joy in mathematics.