Mathematics peer education for incarcerated students in an Illinois state prison

Many incarcerated people struggle with basic mathematics, including fractions, decimals, negative numbers, and algebra. These challenges can prevent incarcerated people from entering high school equivalency programs in the prison, as they cannot pass the ``Test of Adult Basic Education'' (TABE) due to their low math skills. Some other incarcerated people are very adept with mathematics and are eager for leadership and skill development opportunities. This talk discusses a new mathematics program at the Danville Correctional Center, through the Education Justice Project (EJP) and the College of Education at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. This program invites incarcerated students who are struggling with basic mathematics as well as those who are comfortable with calculus and beyond to work together. The students who struggle with mathematics are taught by those who are more skilled through both one-on-one tutoring and through interactive teaching on a chalk board. All members are given opportunities to reflect on the process of teaching and learning, to build a reflective environment that improves their ability to teach and to learn. In this talk, we will reflect on the promise and the challenges for the program. Lessons for peer teaching and reflection exercises in more typical classrooms will also be discussed.