Developing Visions of High-Quality Mathematics Instruction

Abstract

This article introduces an interview-based instrument that was created for the purposes of characterizing the visions of high-quality mathematics instruction of teachers, principals, mathematics coaches, and district leaders and tracking changes in those visions over time. The instrument models trajectories of perceptions of high-quality instruction along what have been identified in the literature as critical dimensions of mathematics classroom practice. Included are a description of the methods by which an analysis of interview data was integrated with previous findings from the research literature in order to develop leveled rubrics for assessing visions of high-quality mathematics instruction, a report of the results of using the instrument to code more than 900 interviews, and a discussion of the possible applications and benefits of such a methodological approach.