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Crystal A. Kalinec-Craig, Ph.D.

Associate Professor, Interdisciplinary Learning and Teaching

Crystal A. Kalinec-Craig Headshot Photo

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Bio

Dr. Crystal Kalinec-Craig is an associate professor at the University of Texas at San Antonio in the department of Interdisciplinary Learning and Teaching in the College of Education and Human Development. She is a proud 5th generation south Texan who returned to serve her community. Her research trajectory has been profoundly shaped by esteemed mentors at the University of Arizona, who instilled in her a commitment to equity and justice in education. Drawing inspiration from scholars such as Drs. Erin Turner, Marcy Wood, and Marta Civil, her work centers on amplifying the voices of marginalized students in mathematics classrooms. Guided by concepts like Funds of Knowledge (pioneered by Dr. Luis Moll), Torres’ Rights of the Learner (theorized by Olga Torres), and rehumanizing mathematics for BIPOC students (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) with a sociopolitical lens (as theorized by Dr. Rochelle Gutiérrez at the University of Illinois), Dr. Kalinec-Craig strives to create inclusive learning environments that honor students' diverse experiences and knowledge. As a professor who prepares future elementary and middle grades teachers, she is proud of her responsibility. She openly shares the story that September 11, 2001, was her second day as a new 7th grade teacher, a moment that continues to influence who she is today. She has served as the program coordinator for the elementary education program, faculty senator, Vice President of Advocacy, Equity, and Research for the Association of Mathematics Teacher Education, and Graduate Advisor of Record for the department Ph.D. program. You can find her published work in journals such as Democracy and Education, Journal of Mathematical Behavior, Journal of Mathematics Teacher Education, ZDM, and NCTM's journal, Mathematics Teacher: Learning and Teaching. She lives with her partner, Scott, two dogs (a German Shepherd and rescue dog) and cat in San Antonio. You can find her on Instagram, Threads, Facebook, and TikTok.

 

Teaching

Dr. Kalinec-Craig has experience as a former middle and high school mathematics teacher who taught in Arizona, Texas, Mississippi, North Carolina, and Germany. As an associate professor at UTSA, her teaching expertise is in undergraduate elementary and middle grades mathematics methods. She also has experience teaching masters and doctoral classes in curriculum and instruction and interdisciplinary research methods.

Research Interests

  • Issues of equity and social justice in teaching and teacher education
  • Torres' Rights of the Learner (e.g., the right to be confused; to claim a mistake and revise your thinking; to speak, listen, and be heard; and to write, do, and represent what makes sense to you.)
  • Divergent Formative Assessment (e.g., groupworthy tasks, tasks involving problem solving)
  • Funds of Knowledge

 

Degrees

  • Ph.D., Teaching and Teacher Education with an emphasis in Mathematics Education, University of Arizona, 2012
  • M.S., Mathematics with an emphasis in Teaching, Texas A&M University, 2006
  • B.S., Mathematics University of Houston, 2001

Presentations

  • Neihaus, A., Kalinec-Craig, C. A., Prasad, P. V., & Wood, M. B. My Problematic Fave: A guide for revising tasks with harmful contexts. Association of Mathematics. 
    • Location: National Council of Teachers of Mathematics. Virtual Conference.
    • Presentation Date: 2024
  • Ryan, A., Farias- Sokolowski, T., & Kalinec-Craig, C.A. “‘I still wanna teach’: Teacher Candidates Reluctant Departures from the Profession.” 
    • Location: Critical Issues in Education Conference, New Orleans, LA.
    • Presentation Date: 2024
  • Kalinec-Craig, C. A. & Torres, O. G. Torres's Rights of the Learner: A Framework for Empowering All Students in Mathematics. 
    • Location: National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, Washington D.C.
    • Presentation Date: 2023

Grants, Patents and Clinical Trials

  • Co-PI with Jonathan Thomas, Molly Fisher, Cindy Jong (PIs) with Naomi Jessup (CO-PI): NSF Collaborative: Collaborative Research: Noticing, Operationalizing, and Rehumanizing Mathematics (NORM), National Science Foundation (NSF), Institutional.
    • Total Amount: $345,353
    • Duration: 2023-2027
    • Role: Co-PI
  • CO-PI with Emily Bonner (PI), Heidi Hunt (Co-PI, NVC), and Anna Harwin (PI, NVC): Community Math Project: Building Math Proficiency to Strengthen Teacher Education Through Collaborative Interventions, Title V – Developing Hispanic-Serving Institutions Program, Department of Education (DOE).
    • Total Amount: $3.7M; subaward $1M
    • Duration: 2018-2023
    • Role: Co-PI

Publications

  • Kalinec-Craig, C.A., & Rios, A. (2024). An exploratory mixed methods study about teacher candidates’ descriptions of children’s confusion, productive struggle, and mistakes in an elementary mathematics methods course. The Journal of Mathematical Behavior, 73, 101103.
  • Neihaus, A., Kalinec-Craig, C.A., Prasad, P. V., & Wood, M. B. (2023). My Problematic Fave. Mathematics Teacher: Learning and Teaching PK-12, 116(9), 650-658.
  • Kalinec-Craig, C.A., Bonner, E. P., & Kelley, T.* (2021). Support and enrichment experiences in mathematics (SEE Math): Using case studies to improve mathematics teacher education. Mathematics Teacher Educator, 10(1), 68-83.
  • Kalinec-Craig, C.A., Bannister, N., Bowen, D.*, Jacques, L. A.*, & Crespo, S. (2021). “It was smart when:” Supporting prospective teachers’ noticing of students’ mathematical strengths. Journal of Mathematics Teacher Education, 24, 375-398.
  • Kalinec-Craig, C.A. (2017). The Rights of the Learner: A sociocultural framework for promoting equity through formative assessment in mathematics classrooms. Democracy and Education Journal. 25(2), Article 5.