Mathematics Teacher Educators Learning from Efforts to Facilitate the Learning of Key Mathematics Concepts While Modelling Evidence-Based Teaching Practice

2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
pp. 88-104
Author(s):  
Stephanie Casey ◽  
Joel Amidon

Developing expertise in professional noticing of students’ mathematical thinking takes time and meaningful learning experiences. We used the LessonSketch platform to create a learning experience for secondary preservice teachers (PSTs) involving an approximation of teaching practice to formatively assess PSTs’ noticing skills of students’ mathematical thinking. Our study showed that approximations of teaching practice embedded within platforms like LessonSketch can enable mathematics teacher educators (MTEs) to carry out effective formative assessment of PSTs’ professional noticing of students’ mathematical thinking that is meaningful for both PSTs and MTEs. The experience itself as well as its design features and framework used with the assessment can be applied in the work of MTEs who develop teachers’ professional noticing skills of students’ mathematical thinking.


2020 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 327
Author(s):  
Marta T. Magiera ◽  
Vecihi S. Zambak

In this paper, using written responses of 37 PSTs preparing to teach grades 1-8 mathematics, we examined explanations they constructed to support their problem solutions and explanations they provided in support of their critiques of student-generated explanations. We also examined features of explanations on which PSTs drew in their critiques of mathematical explanations of students. Our results draw attention to the importance of helping PSTs develop competencies in constructing and critiquing mathematical explanations concurrently. Although explanations PSTs generated for their critiques of student explanations were weaker compared to the explanations PSTs formulated for their own problem solutions, PSTs proficient in generating mathematical explanations were also more proficient in analyzing and critiquing mathematical explanations. We identified seven criteria PSTs used while analyzing and critiquing student-explanations. These criteria reveal what PSTs might value, or pay attention to, as they critique student-explanations. We share implications for mathematics teacher educators to consider and suggest directions for further research.


2018 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 68-74
Author(s):  
Rochelle Gutiérrez

We are in an interesting historical moment in mathematics teacher education. On the one and, there is greater realization within our field of the connections between systems of power and mathematics (O'Neil, 2016). We are starting to acknowledge how mathematics education can be viewed as dehumanizing for both students and teachers as well as what might constitute rehumanizing practices (Gutiérrez, in press). Our professional organizations are calling for teachers to move beyond simplistic notions of equity to understand these power dimensions and challenge the system on behalf of (and in community with) Black,1 Indigenous,2 and Latinx3 students in particular


2018 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 77-97
Author(s):  
Ana Kuzle

Problem solving in Germany has roots in mathematics and psychology but it found its way to schools and classrooms, especially through German Kultusministerkonferenz, which represents all government departments of education. For the problem solving standard to get implemented in schools, a large scale dissemination through continuous professional development is very much needed, as the current mathematics teachers are not qualified to do so. As a consequence, one organ in Germany focuses on setting up courses for teacher educators who can “multiply” what they have learned and set up their own professional development courses for teachers. However, before attaining to this work, it is crucial to have an understanding what conceptions about teaching problem solving in mathematics classroom mathematics teacher educators hold. In this research report, I focus on mathematics teacher educators’ conceptions about problem solving standard and their effects regarding a large-scale dissemination.


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