Inconsistency Between a Beginning Elementary School Teacher's Mathematics Beliefs and Teaching Practice

1997 ◽  
Vol 28 (5) ◽  
pp. 550-576 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anne M. Raymond

This study investigates relationships between a beginning elementary school teacher's beliefs and mathematics teaching practices. A proposed model of relationships between beliefs and practice provided a conceptual framework for the examination of factors that influence beliefs, practice, and the level of inconsistency between them. Data were gathered over 10 months through audiotaped interviews, observations, document analysis, and a beliefs survey. Analyses included the categorization and comparison of beliefs and practice and the development of a revised model of relationships between beliefs and practice. Findings indicate that this teacher's beliefs and practice were not wholly consistent. Rather, her practice was more closely related to her beliefs about mathematics content than to her beliefs about mathematics pedagogy. Her beliefs about mathematics content were highly influenced by her own experiences as a student and her beliefs about mathematics pedagogy were primarily influenced by her own teaching practice. However, the extent to which her teacher preparation program influenced either her beliefs or practice was limited.

2017 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 27-40
Author(s):  
Tatag Yuli Eko Siswono ◽  
Ahmad Wachidul Kohar ◽  
Ika Kurniasari ◽  
Sugi Hartono

This is a case study investigating a primary teacher’s beliefs, knowledge, and teaching practice in mathematical problem solving. Data was collected through interview of one primary teacher regarding his beliefs on the nature of mathematics, mathematics teaching, and mathematics learning as well as knowledge about content and pedagogy of problem solving. His teaching practice was also observed which focused on the way he helped his students solve several different mathematics problems in class based on Polya’s problemsolving process: understand the problem, devising a plan, carrying out the plan, and looking back. Findings of this study point out that while the teacher’s beliefs, which are closely related to his problem solving view, are consistent with his knowledge of problem solving, there is a gap between such beliefs and knowledge around his teaching practice. The gap appeared primarily around the directive teaching which corresponds to instrumental view he held in most of Polya’s process during his teaching practice, which is not consistent with beliefs and knowledge he professed during the interview. Some possible causes related to several associate factors such as immediate classroom situation and teaching practice experience are discussed to explain such inconsistency. The results of this study are encouraging, however, further studies still need to be conducted.


Author(s):  
Chipo Makamure

This study reports on an investigation of how field experiences in teaching prepares pre-service teachers (PSTs) to effectively deal with the challenges and complexities of teaching mathematics in Zimbabwean secondary schools. The study was premised on the view that improvement in learning secondary school mathematics in the classroom is related to practitioner development in teaching. However, despite overwhelming research on mathematics knowledge for teachers, the problem of mathematics failure in high schools has not been addressed. A mixed methods approach, based on the perspectives of PSTs on teaching practice (TP) was employed to depict how their practices impact on their knowledge development for teaching mathematics. The study, found that a proficient mathematics PST is considered one who embraces knowledge of mathematics content and the ability to teach it. Hence, the development of mathematics knowledge for PSTs requires them to be mentored and workshopped by mathematics subject specialists who are well positioned in terms of mathematics pedagogy and mathematics content knowledge.


2017 ◽  
Vol 10 (9) ◽  
pp. 208
Author(s):  
Tunku Mohani Tunku Mohtar ◽  
Charanjit Kaur Swaran Singh ◽  
Napisah Kepol ◽  
Ahmad Zainuri Loap Ahmad ◽  
Sasigaran Moneyam

The present study investigated the beliefs and efficacy of a teacher teaching English to students who were weak at the language. The objective of the study was mainly to investigate the beliefs and efficacy of the ESL teacher for teaching writing to weak learners. The research was a case study of the English Language teacher teaching Form Three class of students whose English proficiency was very low. An interview was conducted with the teacher to further probe the instructional strategies applied to enhance her beliefs and efficacy in her own capabilities to make learning happen in her classroom. Observations were made to investigate the teacher’s efficacy in teaching and the performance of the students specifically for writing. Results show the teacher’s beliefs of her students’ capabilities and their language needs helped shape the teacher’s instructional strategies. The teacher’s efficacy enabled her to decide to undertake the task of teaching writing to her students because she was confident in her ability. The teacher provided clues to the students to facilitate their learning. This kind of feedback from the teacher indirectly motivated them to learn. The teacher’s beliefs and efficacy contributed to her teaching practice and the instructional strategies that she used in turn enhanced her beliefs and efficacy. The study implicates that teacher’s beliefs and efficacy can assist the weak learners in improving their writing skills and also facilitate language learning.


Author(s):  
Marija Obad

Space is the basic geographical concept which we gradually acquire. Through an articulation of the concepts LEFT and RIGHT from spatial orientation in first grade elementary school, using different contents, methods and resources one discovers a richness of methodical forms of which each, in its own fashion, participates in the realisation of the process of teaching and upbringing. The correlation with Physical education, art classes and mathematics confirms this fact. Such a mode of elaborating the content fulfills the basic requisite of wholeness in the teaching process which results in a higher motivation of pupils and better study results.


2017 ◽  
Vol 24 (2) ◽  
pp. 74
Author(s):  
Eliziane Rocha Castro ◽  
Marcília Chagas Barreto ◽  
Antonio Luiz De Oliveira Barreto ◽  
Francisco Jeovane do Nascimento

ElResumo: Inserida no campo da Educação Matemática, esta investigação tem como objetivo central analisar os atos de mediação docente no ensino de situações multiplicativas no 5º ano do Ensino Fundamental, tendo como suporte referencial a Teoria dos Campos Conceituais. O constructo teórico prevê a estruturação dos conceitos de multiplicação e divisão em um único campo conceitual – o das Estruturas Multiplicativas. A pesquisa é de natureza qualitativa, ancorada no método do Estudo de Caso recaindo sobre os atos de mediação de uma docente do 5º ano do Ensino Fundamental de uma escola da rede pública do município de São Luís, Maranhão. A pesquisa de campo foi realizada nos meses de outubro e novembro de 2015. Os dados empíricos foram coletados por observação de três aulas previamente planejadas pela docente observada. Os achados dessa incursão investigativa apontam a carência do trabalho voltado para os aspectos conceituais das operações de multiplicação e divisão, bem como revelam a proeminência da simbolização em detrimento da conceitualização. As conclusões que se derivam dessa incursão investigativa entrelaçam aspectos inerentes à formação e à prática docente, na medida em que englobam o amplo repertório de eskemas concernentes à interação, comunicação, linguagem e afetividade, além do conjunto de competências técnicas e conhecimentos propagados nos espaços de formação que também modelam os atos de mediação docente no decurso da história individual e profissional dos professores.Palavras-chave: Situações multiplicativas. Mediação docente. Teoria dos Campos Conceituais.TEACHING SITUATIONS MULTIPLICATIVE: findings from the mediation acts of teachers Abstract: Inserted in the field of mathematics education, this research had as main objective to analyze the acts of teacher mediation in teaching multiplicative situations in the 5th year of elementary school, supported by the Theory of Conceptual Fields. The theoretical construct provides the structure of multiplication and division concepts into a single conceptual field - that of multiplicative structures. The research is qualitative in nature, anchored in the Case Study method falling on the acts of mediation of a teacher of the 5th year of elementary school in a public school in São Luís, Maranhão. The field research was conducted in the months of October and November 2015. The data were collected by observation of three classes previously planned by the teacher observed. The findings of this investigative foray point to the lack of focused work for the conceptual aspects of the multiplication and division operations , as well as reveal the prominence of symbolization at the expense of conceptualisation. The conclusions derived from this investigative foray intertwine aspects of training and teaching practice, in that it encompasses the broad repertoire  concerning the interaction, communication, language and affection, beyond the range of technical skills and propagate knowledge in the areas of training also model the acts of teaching mediation during personal and professional history of teachers.Keywords: Situations multiplicative. Mediation acts of teachers. Theory of Conceptual Fields.LA ENSEÑANZA DE SITUACIONES MULTIPLICATIVAS: resultados a partir de los actos de mediación docente Resumen: Insertado en el campo de la educación matemática, esta investigación tiene como objetivo principal analizar los actos de mediación docente en la enseñanza de las situaciones multiplicativas en el 5º año de la escuela primaria, utilizando como soporte de referencia la teoría de los campos conceptuales. La construcción teórica proporciona la estructura de los conceptos de multiplicación y división en un solo campo conceptual – el de las estructuras multiplicativas. La investigación es de naturaleza cualitativa, anclada en el método de estudio de caso que recae sobre los actos de la mediación de una docente de 5º año de primaria en una escuela pública en São Luís, Maranhão. La investigación de campo fue realizada en los meses de octubre y noviembre de 2015. Los datos empíricos fueron recogidos mediante la observación de tres clases previamente programadas por la profesora observada. Las conclusiones de este punto de incursión señalan la carencia de trabajo dirigido a los aspectos conceptuales de las operaciones matemáticas de multiplicación y división, así como revelan la prominencia de la simbolización en detrimento de la conceptualización. Las conclusiones derivadas de esa investigación entrelazan aspectos de la formación y la enseñanza práctica, ya que abarca el amplio repertorio de eskemas relativos a la interacción, comunicación, lenguaje y afectividad, además del conjunto de competencias técnicas y conocimientos propagados en los espacios de formación que también modelan los actos de mediación docente en el decurso de la historia personal y profesional de los profesores.Palabras clave: Situaciones multiplicativas. Mediación docente. Teoría de los Campos Conceptuales.       


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