Questioning Our Credibility: An Exploration of the Professional Identity Development of Mathematics Teacher Educators

Claire Cesljarev,Dionne Cross Francis,Qiu Zhong,Andrea Phillips,Kemol Lloyd,Jinqing Liu,Meredith Park Rogers,Pavneet Kaur Bharaj

doi:10.3390/math10010066

Abstract

Preparing future mathematics teacher educators (MTEs) with knowledge that are needed to effectively support pre-service teachers (PSTs) is very important. However, little attention was paid to MTEs’ knowledge development, which is multifaceted and complex. This study investigates successes, challenges, and tensions that four international graduate MTEs and one mathematics teacher educator (TE) experienced in developing their identity as math teacher educators. In total, 20 h of interactive interviews were analyzed by using qualitative methods. Emerging themes include how MTEs establish a sense of credibility and how they feel they are navigating multiple identities. Among the graduate MTEs, credibility was described as having the following: (a) knowledge of and experience teaching in the US education system; (b) experience in teaching using a problem-solving approach; (c) the ability to enact theory in practice. While navigating multiple identities, graduate MTEs recognize their ethnic identities are central and influence their perceptions of self as MTEs, and how they think they are perceived by others. The results highlight the importance of understanding MTEs tensions and challenges and provide “in-the-moment” support along the journey of becoming teacher educators.

Highlights

The need to prepare teachers to effectively teach K-12 students is an important yet daunting endeavor
There has been a lot of discussion and empirical work around mathematical knowledge needed for teaching in the K-12 school system, significantly less attention has been paid to understanding the knowledge mathematics teacher educators (MTEs) need to effectively support pre-service teachers (PSTs) [2]
We observed that being recognized as an MTE, and the source of this recognition, matters when it comes to how MTEs identify with the role

Summary

Introduction

The need to prepare teachers to effectively teach K-12 students is an important yet daunting endeavor. Despite this recognition of its importance, pre-service teacher education has not been without controversy. One aspect of the debate that has been more prominent in recent years is having common agreement across the mathematics education community about the knowledge pre-service teachers (PSTs) need to teach effectively [1]. There has been a lot of discussion and empirical work around mathematical knowledge needed for teaching in the K-12 school system, significantly less attention has been paid to understanding the knowledge mathematics teacher educators (MTEs) need to effectively support PSTs [2]. The field has advanced knowledge about how these constructs work in the lives of K-12 teachers; we still know very little about the development of MTEs

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Conclusion