Engaging Teachers in the Powerful Combination of Mathematical Modeling and Social Justice: The Flint Water Task

2019 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 7-26 ◽  
Author(s):  
Julia M. Aguirre ◽  
Cynthia O. Anhalt ◽  
Ricardo Cortez ◽  
Erin E. Turner ◽  
Ksenija Simic-Muller
Keyword(s):  
Mathematical Modeling ◽  
Teacher Education ◽  
Social Justice ◽  
Mathematics Teacher ◽  
Teacher Educators ◽  
Mathematics Teacher Education ◽  
Teacher Understanding ◽  
Teacher Survey ◽  
Field Notes ◽  
Survey Responses

Two major challenges in mathematics teacher education are developing teacher understanding of (a) culturally responsive, social justice–oriented mathematics pedagogies and (b) mathematical modeling as a content and practice standard of mathematics. Although these challenges may seem disparate, the innovation described in this article is designed to address both challenges in synergistic ways. The innovation focuses on a mathematical modeling task related to the ongoing water crisis in Flint, Michigan. Through qualitative analysis of instructor field notes, teachergenerated mathematical models, and teacher survey responses, we found that teachers who participated in the Flint Water Task (FWT) engaged in mathematical modeling and critical discussions about social and environmental justice. The evidence suggests that integrating these 2 foci–by using mathematical modeling to investigate and analyze important social justice issues–can be a high-leverage practice for mathematics teacher educators committed to equity-based mathematics education. Implications for integrating social justice and mathematical modeling in preservice and in-service mathematics teacher education are discussed.

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

Promoting Active Learning in Mathematics Teacher Education

2017 ◽  
pp. 269-284
Author(s):  
Rukiye Didem Taylan
Keyword(s):  
Teacher Education ◽  
Active Learning ◽  
Professional Learning ◽  
Prospective Teachers ◽  
Mathematics Teacher ◽  
Professional Growth ◽  
Flipped Classroom ◽  
Teacher Educators ◽  
Mathematics Teacher Education ◽  
Pedagogical Content

Teacher educators have a responsibility to help prospective teachers in their professional growth. It is important that teacher educators not only teach prospective teachers about benefits of active learning in student learning, but that they also prepare future teachers in using pedagogical methods aligned with active learning principles. This manuscript provides examples of how mathematics teacher educators can promote prospective teachers' active learning and professional growth by bringing together the Flipped Classroom method with video content on teaching and learning as well as workplace learning opportunities in a pedagogy course. The professional learning of prospective teachers is framed according to the components of the Pedagogical Content Knowledge (Park & Olive, 2008; Shulman, 1986). Implications for future trends in teacher education are provided.

Mathematics Teacher Education Quality in TEDS-M: Globalizing the Views of Future Teachers and Teacher Educators

2011 ◽  
Vol 62 (2) ◽  
pp. 172-187 ◽  
Author(s):  
Feng-Jui Hsieh ◽  
Chiu-Keung Law ◽  
Haw-Yaw Shy ◽  
Ting-Ying Wang ◽  
Chia-Jui Hsieh ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Teacher Education ◽  
Mathematics Teacher ◽  
Teacher Educators ◽  
Mathematics Teacher Education ◽  
Education Quality ◽  
Future Teachers

Commentary: Should Mathematics Teacher Education Be Politically Neutral?

2017 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 67-72 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mathew D. Felton-Koestler ◽  
Courtney Koestler
Keyword(s):  
Teacher Education ◽  
Prospective Teachers ◽  
Mathematics Teacher ◽  
Teacher Educators ◽  
Mathematics Teacher Education ◽  
Policy Makers ◽  
The Public ◽  
Mathematics Teacher Educators ◽  
Political Landscape ◽  
The Face

Many current and prospective teachers, policy makers, and members of the public view mathematics as neutral and objective, and they expect mathematics teaching and teacher education to be neutral as well. But what would it mean to think of mathematics teacher education as politically neutral? Below we consider some questions that we see as highlighting why mathematics teacher education cannot be neutral. We are not the first to raise these issues, but we appreciate the opportunity to discuss and reflect on them among a community of mathematics teacher educators. Although these questions have always been relevant, we see their importance growing in the face of the increased mathematization of our world and a highly polarized political landscape with a seemingly increased public acceptance of oppressive discourse and actions (Potok, 2017).

scholarly journals Exploring culturally sustaining practice for indigenous learners in initial teacher education in Aotearoa New Zealand

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robin Averill ◽  
Hiria McRae
Keyword(s):  
Teacher Education ◽  
Teacher Educators ◽  
Mathematics Teacher Education ◽  
Ease Of Use ◽  
Initial Teacher Education ◽  
Course Content ◽  
Teacher Understanding ◽  
Aotearoa New Zealand ◽  
Education Courses ◽  
Indigenous Learners

Culturally sustaining practices are advocated for enhancing learning experiences of Indigenous learners. Developing the use of culturally sustaining practice is challenging, in part as many educators do not have Indigenous heritage and have not themselves experienced such teaching. Here we discuss an investigation into how we develop student teacher understanding of practice culturally sustaining for Indigenous Māori learners in our initial mathematics teacher education courses. We show how a four-dimension framework (accommodation, reformation, transformation, and representation) can expose strengths and opportunities for improvement in course content and approaches towards developing culturally sustaining practices. Factors considered include education policy, resources, course development and content. Affordances (e.g., ease of use) and challenges (e.g., contextal factors) of using the framework are discussed. We demonstrate that the framework can be a useful tool for teacher educators working to strengthen their focus on developing culturally sustaining teacher practice to enhance educational opportunities of Indigenous learners.

scholarly journals Exploring culturally sustaining practice for indigenous learners in initial teacher education in Aotearoa New Zealand

2020 ◽  
Vol 1 ◽  
pp. e202014
Author(s):  
Robin Averill ◽  
Hiria McRae
Keyword(s):  
Teacher Education ◽  
Teacher Educators ◽  
Mathematics Teacher Education ◽  
Ease Of Use ◽  
Initial Teacher Education ◽  
Course Content ◽  
Teacher Understanding ◽  
Aotearoa New Zealand ◽  
Education Courses ◽  
Indigenous Learners

Culturally sustaining practices are advocated for enhancing learning experiences of Indigenous learners. Developing the use of culturally sustaining practice is challenging, in part as many educators do not have Indigenous heritage and have not themselves experienced such teaching. Here we discuss an investigation into how we develop student teacher understanding of practice culturally sustaining for Indigenous Māori learners in our initial mathematics teacher education courses. We show how a four-dimension framework (accommodation, reformation, transformation, and representation) can expose strengths and opportunities for improvement in course content and approaches towards developing culturally sustaining practices. Factors considered include education policy, resources, course development and content. Affordances (e.g., ease of use) and challenges (e.g., contextal factors) of using the framework are discussed. We demonstrate that the framework can be a useful tool for teacher educators working to strengthen their focus on developing culturally sustaining teacher practice to enhance educational opportunities of Indigenous learners.

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