Alison Strole, Middle School Math Teacher and an IMD Affiliate, Teaches Math and Politics

Alison Strole, a middle school math teacher from Fishers, IN, has for many years been teaching topics in the intersection of math and politics. In college, she studied both math and social sciences and finds that combining the two in her own teaching provides the perfect real-life context and motivation for the students.

Mrs. Strole has had students analyze poll results, bring quantitative analyses of current local issues to government officials, and use math to understand various policy issues. The students love doing these projects which ultimately enable them to become more politically engaged and gain a new appreciation for the role of math in democracy.

Mrs. Strole was the subject of this paper written by a Wellesley College student in a Math and Politics course in spring 2021. The paper describes several of Mrs. Strole’s projects and uses them to argue that political quantitative literacy is a necessary component of a successful civics education.