Chamarra Coward

Research Discipline/Bio

Chamarra A. O. Coward is a PhD student in Mathematics Education focused on advancing culturally relevant pedagogy. Her dissertation research centers on defining culturally relevant mathematics tasks for elementary classrooms and developing a theoretical framework to support research and pedagogy. Building on these definitions, she is also creating a tool to operationalize the framework for use by researchers and practitioners. With over 13 years of experience as a high school math teacher, she bridges theory and practice, integrating research into classroom instruction. As a Math for America (MƒA) Master Teacher Emeritus, she has shared her expertise through professional and leadership activities, including mentoring early career teachers. Chamarra also serves as an NSF Graduate Research Assistant, supporting students’ mathematical understanding through coding and robotics. She is dedicated to making mathematics accessible, relevant, and reflective of students' cultural experiences.

Educational Background

Master of Education, Mathematics Education, Teachers College, Columbia University, 2025
Master of Arts with Initial Certification, Mathematics Education, Teachers College, Columbia University, 2011
Bachelor of Science, Applied Mathematics, University of Rochester, 2008

Honors/Awards

Trustee Scholar of Tomorrow, 2023-2024
Department Diversity Scholar, 2022-2023
Graduate Assistant Scholarship, 2022-2026

Publications/Exhibitions

Cheung, M. Y.-Y., Coward, C. A. O., & Lyublinskaya, I. (2025). Utilizing annotated digital timelining in mathematics education research: Exploring elementary school teachers’ culturally relevant competencies and Finch robot orchestrations. Methods in Psychology, 13, 100206. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.metip.2025.100206

Coward, C. A. O., Cheung, M. Y.-Y., & Lyublinskaya, I. (2025, April ). Learning trajectories of teachers’ cultural competencies in teaching mathematics with robots in elementary school. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the American Educational Research Association (AERA 2025). https://doi.org/10.3102/IP.25.2185054

Last Updated: Oct 2, 2025