Initiating Change in Prospective Elementary School Teachers' Orientations to Mathematics Teaching by Building on Beliefs

Abstract

ABSTRACT. Many mathematics educators have found that prospective elementary school teachers' beliefs interfere with their learning of mathematics. Often teacher educators consider these beliefs to be wrong or naïve and seek to challenge them so prospective teachers will reject them for more generative beliefs. Because of the resilience of prospective teachers' beliefs in response to these challenges, teacher educators could consider alternative ways of thinking about and addressing beliefs, particularly the potential of building on rather than tearing down pre-existing beliefs. Data from an earlyfield experience linked to a mathematics-for-teachers course provide evidence that when prospective teachers work intimately with children, in this case trying to teach 10-yearolds about fractions, the experience has the intensity from which beliefs can grow. Most of the prospective teachers in the study were surprised that mathematics teaching was more difficult than they had anticipated. They began to consider the importance of providing children time to think when solving mathematical problems. The change described in the study is incremental rather than monumental, suggesting that building upon prospective teachers' existing beliefs will be a gradual process.

Examination of Prospective Teachers' Perceptions on Mathematical Concepts and Their Potential Teaching Strategies

“…Noting various concerns, such as the lack of sound subject matter knowledge and the strong influence of prospective teachers' past experiences as students, the consensus in the mathematics education community is that it is essential to provide prospective teachers with ample opportunities to improve and transform their knowledge, beliefs, and actual teaching practice.However, what prospective teachers bring to teacher education programs is, admittedly, often difficult to greatly change in the limited time period.For example, candidates' beliefs about what to teach and how to teach it have been consciously or unconsciously developed through many years of observations of their own K-12 teaching practices, and it is almost improbable to completely transform their beliefs (e.g., Ambrose, 2004;Doerr&Lesh, 2003;Eisenhart, Borko, Underhill, Brown, Jones, &Agard, 1993;Thompson, 1992).…”

Mathematics for Māori—An investigative approach?

“…Past experiences can have a very negative impact on a person's disposition towards learning mathematics (Ambrose, 2004;Biddulph, 1999, Cornell, 1999Tooke & Lindstrom, 1998). Such feelings can affect the learning and teaching of mathematics and need to be addressed (Biddulph, 1999;Grootenboer, 2003;Hawera, 2004;Schuck & Grootenboer, 2004).…”

In-Service Mathematics Teachers’ Beliefs About Teaching, Learning and Nature of Mathematics and Their Mathematics Teaching Practices

“…Additionally, numerous other researchers, including Ambrose (2004) asserted that mathematical knowledge and beliefs related to this knowledge, as well as the teaching of math, are strongly entwined. Meanwhile, Poulson, Avramidis, Fox, Medwell, & Wray (2001) indicated that a complex connection exists between a teacher's beliefs and his or her teaching practices; beliefs drive performance, while teaching experience and practices have the ability to change (or supplement) an individual's beliefs.…”