Maths and me: Using mathematics autobiographies to gain insight into the breakdown of mathematics learning

Abstract

Abstract This article explores factors and critical incidents identified by preservice teachers in a foundational mathematics module as contributing to the breakdown of their mathematics learning at school. Mathematics autobiographies were used in the module both as a pedagogical tool and as a research data collection method to access stories of school mathematics experience. A set of codes, synthesised from a survey of the literature and themes evident in the data, was used to analyse the stories. The contributing factors were found to include, first, the pre-service teachers’ views of mathematics as hostile and in an adversarial relationship to them; second, the preservice teachers’ experiences of mathematics at the hands of teachers lacking subject knowledge, empathy and professionalism; and third, personal dissatisfaction with the teacher, confusing mathematics content and discontinuity in learning environments. In conclusion, the implications of the insights from the mathematics stories are used to m...