Unpacking Mathematics for Teaching: A Study of Preservice Elementary Teachers’ Evolving Mathematical Understandings and Beliefs

Abstract

This study examined the mathematical understandings and beliefs held by preservice elementary teachers in a mathematics methods course taken as part of a one year teacher certification program, and reexamined these characteristics at the end of the course. The notion of 'understanding mathematics for teaching' was examined in a way that might begin to support the work of mathematics educators working with such preservice teacher candidates. Preservice teacher beliefs about what is important in mathematics learning and therefore the teaching of it are examined along with mathematics understanding at both procedural and conceptual levels. The goal was to shed some light on how initial understanding and beliefs about mathematics teaching co-exist, and how these might develop during a preservice teacher education program.

‘I Finally Get It!’: developing mathematical understanding during teacher education

“…These results suggest that those who chose to take the MT course initially had weaker understandings of procedures in mathematics. Source: For more information on the survey questions, see [18].…”

“…Source: For more information on the survey questions, see[18]. Growth in PK for the combined 3-year sample.…”

Teachers Constructing Concepts of Mathematics for Teaching and Learning: “It's like the roots beneath the surface, not a bigger garden”

“…Kajander, 2007;Kajander et al, 2006;Kajander & Mason, 2007) and thus a level of trust between the researcher and the participants already existed as we began our discussions. As well, Downloaded by [Florida State University] at 03:26 08 October 2014 the teachers all knew one another, and these previously established relationships supported a constructive collegial atmosphere during the sessions.…”

“…Gadanidis and Namukasa (2007) argued that a "special" mathematics for beginning teachers is not required; rather that "the starting point for mathematics education for both students and teachers should be a sophisticated and deep exploration of mathematics" (p. 17). Studies have suggested that conceptual understanding may typically be lacking in many beginning teachers (Kajander, 2007;Weller, Arnon, & Dubinsky, Downloaded by [Florida State University] at 03:26 08 October 2014 2009). Thus, the argument exists that a conceptually based understanding of mathematics that is not specialized to teaching is sufficient for teachers , and a viewpoint remains (more often expressed informally than in the literature) that teachers simply need some sort of mathematical remediation prior to teaching.…”

A Scale for Measuring Teachers’ Mathematics-Related Beliefs: A Validity and Reliability Study

“…Drageset (2010) and Holm and Kajander (2012) revealed that beliefs and the knowledge are related to and influenced each other in teacher professional development. It might affect quality of teaching and subsequently impact on students achievement in mathematics learning (Kajander, 2007).…”