Elementary School Teachers and Mathematics: Communities of Practice and an Opportunity for Change

Abstract

This paper investigates the transformation of new elementary teachers in their understanding of mathematics in relation to pedagogy and learning. By participating in an intentionally created community of practice, new elementary school teachers, began to connect to mathematics in new ways: reflectively, confidently, and inquisitively. Analysis focused on data from teacher reflections, observations, group meetings, and revealed communities of practice in which an increased confidence with mathematics and teaching mathematics developed. Through the course of the community of practice, the participants began to think of themselves as mathematics teachers, mainly through their ability to reflect, question, and take ownership of their practice.

Embedding Play-Based Learning into Junior Primary (Year 1 and 2) Curriculum in WA

“…Schools interested in developing play-based strategies should strive to provide time and space for teachers to collaborate; share and discuss their professional practice. In her research of elementary mathematics teachers, Gellert (2013) found that through a community of practice positive changes in (mathematics) knowledge, pedagogy and identity were witnessed as participants reflected, questioned and took ownership of their own practice.…”

Ações de uma formadora no desenvolvimento da agência profissional de professoras de uma Comunidade de Prática<br>Actions of a teacher trainer in the professional agency development in a teacher community of practice

“…A experiência profissional e os conhecimentos a respeito da profissão conferem a esse formador uma posição de mentor, mas não detentor de todo o conhecimento assumido como ponto de enfoque nas discussões e nas negociações de significado na CoP (ESTEVAM; CYRINO, 2019). O formador é, assim, caracterizado como um agente de fronteira, aquele que traz para a comunidade informações, provocações para reflexões, recursos e ferramentas que, ao serem legitimados como relevantes pelos professores em formação, passam a fazer parte da prática da CoP (GELLERT, 2013). Assim, a participação do formador na CoP contribui para mudanças na participação dos professores em formação, nos significados que eles produzem para suas experiências, nas reificações que compartilham e, sobretudo, em sua IP.…”

The relationship of reform style professional development and student achievement.

“…This adds to the body of literature that indicates that prior math knowledge significantly contributes to mathematics achievement (Dorio, 2006;Gellert, 2013;Grady, Watkins & Montalvo, 2012;Killen & Hattingh, 2004). This relationship between prior math performance and math achievement implies mathematics is a discipline in which new skills are built upon previous skills: e.g., a student will likely not be successful in solving an equation for x before the student is able to add, subtract, multiply or divide.…”

“…Professional development should include time for teachers to meet in collaborative teams in order to focus on specific student needs over a sustained period in order to collectively determine the instructional solutions that will provide measurable growth in student learning and achievement (National Institute for Excellence in Teaching, 2012). Through participation in these intentionally created communities of practice, teachers are able to connect to math in new ways through discussion, analysis, observation, and reflection (Gellert, 2013). It is through communities of practice that elementary school educators develop more positive mathematics identities, socially constructing feelings of competence that release feelings of discomfort pertaining to teaching math at deeper levels as well as their own negative experiences with math.…”

“…It is through communities of practice that elementary school educators develop more positive mathematics identities, socially constructing feelings of competence that release feelings of discomfort pertaining to teaching math at deeper levels as well as their own negative experiences with math. (Confer & Ramirez, 2012;Gellert, 2013). Teachers are challenged by the new CCSS in that they are being asked to teach using math methodology they never experienced as students (Confer & Ramirez, 2012).…”