Articles

This article examines year 12 students' attitudes to mathematics, their experience of the mathematics classroom and their views of teachers and their expectations of success, drawing from a longitudinal study of student achievement in Melbourne's northern suburbs. Despite a differentiated year 12 mathematics curriculum, there is evidence of inequity in students' experience of mathematics. Perceptions of mathematics classrooms and mathematics teachers, and expectations of success, vary according to subject, gender and social background. Implications for pedagogical and curriculum reform are discussed.