scholarly journals Critical Social Pedagogy in Mathematics Teacher Education

2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (6) ◽  
pp. 93
Author(s):  
Babawande Emmanuel Olawale ◽  
Vusi Mncube ◽  
Clive Harber
Keyword(s):  
Mathematics Education ◽  
Student Teachers ◽  
Mathematics Teacher ◽  
Social Engagement ◽  
Teacher Educators ◽  
Mathematics Teacher Education ◽  
Research Approach ◽  
Design Data ◽  
Mathematics Teacher Educators ◽  
Pedagogical Approaches

There is no how-to recipe for implementing pedagogical approaches, as each school, learner and teacher has a unique perception of the nature of critical mathematics education. It is therefore the duty of educators and school administrators to cultivate critical teaching and learning experiences that can connect the standardised school curriculum to the reality of learners’ everyday lives. As such, this study investigated the pedagogical approaches which mathematics teacher educators employed in the development of democratic citizens in South African universities. Underpinned by the constructivist paradigm, the study employed a qualitative research approach and a case study design. Data were generated from a total of six mathematics teacher educators and 75 second- to fourth-year student teachers majoring in mathematics education across three different universities. The findings from the study revealed that there are contradictions between pedagogical philosophies and the mathematics teacher educators’ ideal image of their practice in the classroom. The nature of mathematics teaching, and the fear that learners come to class with different knowledges from their personal experience and have disparate opinions, hinder critical and social engagement within mathematics education classrooms. Based on the findings, it is recommended that mathematics teacher educators employ a problem-posing pedagogical approach which allows for the appropriation of knowledge in the form of self-reflection, a synergy of care, and self-determination which seeks to foster democratic values and critical consciousness in the development of democratic citizens.

When Mathematics Teacher Educators Come Under Attack

2018 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 68-74
Author(s):  
Rochelle Gutiérrez
Keyword(s):  
Teacher Education ◽  
Mathematics Education ◽  
Mathematics Teacher ◽  
Teacher Educators ◽  
Mathematics Teacher Education ◽  
Professional Organizations ◽  
Mathematics Teacher Educators ◽  
And Mathematics ◽  
The One ◽  
Historical Moment

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

Research and Teacher Education: In Search of Common Ground

1994 ◽  
Vol 25 (6) ◽  
pp. 608-636 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas J. Cooney
Keyword(s):  
Teacher Education ◽  
Mathematics Education ◽  
Mathematics Teacher ◽  
Effective Teachers ◽  
Teacher Educators ◽  
Common Ground ◽  
Fundamental Question ◽  
National Council ◽  
Mathematics Teacher Educators ◽  
Mathematics Educators

Most mathematics educators are involved in the practice of teacher education at some level. Indeed, the field of mathematics education is predicated on the assumption that someone has to be educated to teach mathematics in our schools. This raises the question of what it means to be educated in o rder to become a teacher of mathematics. What kinds of knowledge do teachers need to become effective teachers of mathematics? What sorts of experiences are needed for teachers to acquire this knowledge? A fundamental question for mathematics teacher educators is how the field of teacher education can be conceptualized so that programs and activities can be created to assist in the acquisition of this knowledge. Given the high visibility of standards developed by the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) (NCTM, 1988, 1991, in press), a question of interest to many is, What does it take to develop teachers who can move the field toward realizing these standards?

Editorial: Tools as a Catalyst for Practitioners' Thinking

2014 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 3-7 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Teacher Learning ◽  
Professional Education ◽  
Mathematics Teacher ◽  
Teacher Educators ◽  
Mathematics Teacher Education ◽  
Assessment Instruments ◽  
Practicing Teachers ◽  
Mathematics Teacher Educators ◽  
Conducting Research ◽  
Support Students

The word tool has many different meanings. The definition perhaps most relevant to mathematics teacher education is “something (as an instrument or apparatus) used in performing an operation or necessary in the practice of a vocation or profession” (http://www.merriam-webster.com). Mathematics teacher educators use a variety of tools in both conducting research and supporting the preparation and professional development of teachers. In research, we use tools (e.g., observation protocols, assessment instruments, surveys) to collect data that will inform the question that is under investigation in a particular study or set of related studies. In designing and conducting professional education experiences for preservice and practicing teachers, we use tools to provide a scaffold for teacher learning–a structure that allows them to do something that would otherwise be challenging or even impossible to do (e.g., a guide for analyzing instructional tasks, a protocol for lesson planning, formative assessment lessons). Tools can also be used to communicate a standard or shared understanding of practice across the community of mathematics teacher educators, particularly practices that have been shown to support students' learning. According the National Academy of Education(1999, p. 35),

Noticing and Wondering: A Language Structure to Support Mentoring Conversations

2019 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 44-56
Author(s):  
Sarah A. Roller
Keyword(s):  
Teacher Preparation ◽  
Prospective Teachers ◽  
Mathematics Teacher ◽  
Teacher Educators ◽  
Mathematics Teacher Education ◽  
Mathematics Teacher Educators ◽  
Language Structure ◽  
Before And After ◽  
And Mathematics ◽  
Educative Mentoring

Teachers and mathematics teacher education scholars have identified field experiences and quality mentoring as influential components of math teacher preparation and development. Yet, quality mentoring is a complex and demanding practice. Providing educative feedback to novices, particularly that which encourages reflection versus evaluation, can be challenging work for mentors. To study the potential of an intervention for providing professional development for mentors, I worked with pairs of mentors and prospective teachers (PSTs) offering Smith's (2009) noticing and wondering language as a way of structuring mentoring conversations that maintain both descriptive and interpretive analytic stances. Analysis of before and after conversations provided evidence of how mentor-PST pairs adopted noticing and wondering language, and in particular illuminated the ways in which the language structure might support interpretive mentoring conversations for studying teaching. The results suggest that mathematics teacher educators may want to consider what makes wondering challenging work and how to best support wondering in educative mentoring conversations.

What Makes Us Different Makes Us Stronger: A Statement by the MTE Editorial Board

2018 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 3
Keyword(s):  
Mathematics Education ◽  
Knowledge Base ◽  
Academic Freedom ◽  
Mathematics Teacher ◽  
Teacher Educators ◽  
Board Members ◽  
National Council ◽  
Mathematics Teacher Educators ◽  
Speak Up

Editorial board members of the MTE journal join the presidents of the Association of Mathematics Teacher Educators (AMTE) and the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) (the two organizations that jointly publish our journal) in expressing concern at the recent attacks on mathematics education scholars whose research does not conform with and challenges dominant perspectives in mathematics education. We are compelled to speak up because these attacks undermine the principles of academic freedom and our field's capacity to grow a trusted knowledge base.

Malawi mathematics teacher educators’ understanding of Lesson Study

2019 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 48-59
Author(s):  
Janne Fauskanger ◽  
Arne Jakobsen ◽  
Mercy Kazima
Keyword(s):  
Teacher Education ◽  
Student Teachers ◽  
Mathematics Teacher ◽  
Lesson Study ◽  
Teacher Educators ◽  
Qualitative Content Analysis ◽  
Lesson Plans ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Mathematics Teacher Educators

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to better understand the challenges involved in introducing Lesson Study (LS) into teacher education in Malawi by studying mathematics teacher educators’ (TEs’) understanding of planning for LS. Design/methodology/approach This study is a part of a wider ongoing project designed to improve the quality and capacity of mathematics teacher education in Malawi. One of its components is professional development of all mathematics TEs in Malawi using an LS model. The units being analyzed comprise of the TEs’ written lesson plans and qualitative content analysis is the chosen analytical approach. Findings Based on the analyzed research lesson plans, the TEs have difficulty in focusing on their own learning parallel to the student teachers’ (STs’) learning, and struggle with predicting STs’ responses to tasks. In addition, there is a pervasive lack of emphasis on planned and focused observation of STs’ learning, as evidenced by a review of the research lesson plans. Research limitations/implications This is a small-scale study due to LS being introduced to Malawi teacher education for the first time and the need to test before possible upscaling. Practical implications The paper includes a description of mathematics TEs’ understanding of LS in an African context, which can be a valuable information for TEs who are attempting to use LS. Originality/value This paper fulfills an identified need to learn more about TEs’ understanding of LS worldwide.

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