Abstract
The aim of this paper is to provide insights into nine primary school teachers’ concerns and instructional needs in biology and mathematics, grades 1 to 6. By using Content Representation, combined with Learning Study in an action research project, teachers were encouraged to reflect on their conceptions, processes of instructing and pupil learning. From concerns articulated by teachers three instructional needs emerged: (i) to make subject progression, especially in biology, and pupil learning more visible, (ii) to develop mathematics teaching in order to change pupils’ views of the subject, and (iii) to develop teachers’ subject matter knowledge and teaching in an ongoing collaborative process. The paper argues that in order to stimulate teacher professional development it is important to make teacher concerns and thereby needs explicit. They help teachers to identify and reflect on relations between teacher subject matter knowledge, pedagogical content knowledge and pupil learning.
Highlights
It is shown that identifying teaching concerns and needs help student teachers to gain new insights into their teaching and by this into their own learning (Nilsson, 2009)
The primary school teachers concluded that knowing how to interpret and implement the intention of the biology syllabus is essential for improving the quality of teaching and learning
They found it problematic that the progression of topics in biology is not as clear as it is in mathematics
Summary
It is shown that identifying teaching concerns and needs help student teachers to gain new insights into their teaching and by this into their own learning (Nilsson, 2009). Among experienced teachers there is a continuous need to develop the professional knowledge. Teacher professional development is a complex process that includes the cognitive and emotional involvement of teachers, both individually and collaboratively (Avalos, 2011). Teachers typically have limited opportunities to collaborate with others who can offer them support in their instructional practices. They experience a need for change, but they often seek out opportunities for development on their own. It seems to be a consensus in the literature that active and collaborative participation in professional learning communities (PLCs), which involve teachers meeting on a regular basis for the purpose of joint learning [282]
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