Levels Of Mathematics Achievement Research Articles

Effects of Teaching in a Summer STEM Camp on the Mathematics Teaching Self-efficacy of Highly Qualified Preservice Secondary Mathematics Teachers

Educational opportunity gaps experienced by students of color living in poverty, with accompanying lower levels of mathematics achievement, remain a roadblock to their access to college-level training in STEM fields. To address this problem, secondary teachers must be confident in their ability to share mathematics content effectively with students from cultures different than their own. Bridging the opportunity gap is more likely with two elements in place: intellectually stimulating pre-college experiences and community partnerships that establish connections between underserved neighborhoods and resource-filled environments such as university campuses.
 This study explored the effects of teaching in a four-week STEM summer camp for ethnically diverse, high-needs middle school girls on the teaching self-efficacy of highly-qualified preservice secondary mathematics teachers, a group that has been less studied than preservice elementary teachers. Participants were scholarship students in a federally-funded teacher preparation scholarship program at an urban, metropolitan university. Teaching self-efficacy was measured by the Mathematics Teaching Efficacy Belief Instrument (MTEBI) and by follow-up qualitative analysis of questionnaire responses and focus groups. Participants’ gains on the MTEBI were significant for Personal Mathematics Teaching Efficacy, but not for Mathematics Teaching Outcome Expectancy. Qualitative analyses suggested that both instructional coaching and everyday interactions in a summer camp setting contributed strongly to the preservice teachers’ increased confidence about teaching mathematics to culturally diverse, high-needs learners.

A Multilevel Person-Centered Examination of Teachers' Workplace Experiences: Replication and Extension With Links to Instructional Support and Achievement.

In a replication and extension of an earlier study, we relied on person-centered analyses to identify teacher (Level 1) and school (Level 2) profiles based on teachers' experiences of job demands (barriers to professional development, disruptive student behavior), job resources (teacher collaboration, input in decision-making), and personal resources (self-efficacy). We examined data from 5,439 teachers working in 364 schools in Australia and 2,216 teachers working in 149 schools in England. Latent profile analysis revealed six teacher profiles: Low-Demand-Flourisher (11%), Mixed-Demand-Flourisher (17%), Job-Resourced-Average (11%), Balanced-Average (14%), Mixed-Resourced-Struggler (11%), and Low-Resourced-Struggler (36%). Two school profiles were identified: an Unsupportive school profile (43%) and a Supportive school profile (57%). Several significant relations between these profiles and teacher/school characteristics and work-related outcomes were also identified at both levels. Although our results generally replicated prior findings, some differences were also observed, possibly as a results of recent changes in policies regarding in teacher support and accountability. Next, we extended prior work using a subsample of the Australian teachers for whom we had matching student data. This second set of results revealed that schools with a greater proportion of low-SES students were more likely to present an Unsupportive school profile. Moreover, the Supportive school profile was associated with higher levels of student-reported instructional support and school-average achievement in reading, mathematics, and science.

دور التعلیم الإتقانی فی تعزیز مستوى التحصیل فی الریاضیات مع نموذج تطبیقی على تلامیذ الصف السادس الابتدائی

الملخص: هدفت الورقة البحثية بيان دور التعليم الإتقاني في تعزيز مستوى التحصيل في الرياضيات مع نموذج تطبيقي على تلاميذ الصف السادس الابتدائي، واستخدمت المنهج الوصفي، وجاءت مکونة من أربعة محاور على النحو التالي: المحور الأول: الإطار المفاهيمي للتعلم الإتقاني من حيث مفهومه ومميزاته، المحور الثاني: عيوب التعلم الإتقاني وکيفية التغلب عليها من خلال: توفير مقومات التعلم الإتقاني و تحقق متطلبات وإجراءات تفعيل التعلم الإتقاني لتعزيز مستوى التحصيل في الرياضيات لدى تلاميذ المرحلة الابتدائية فيما يتعلق بمراعاة مبادئ التعلم من أجل التمکن، ومراعاة مکونات التعلم الإتقاني، وتحقق خطوات تطبيق التعلم الإتقاني، وتفعيل دور المعلم في التعلم الإتقاني، وتفعيل دور المتعلم في التعلم الإتقاني، وتوفير المتطلبات الأساسية للتعلم الإتقاني، وجاء المحور الثالث عن: ملامح منهج CPA مع عرض بعض الأمثلة التطبيقية له، حيث تم ذکر نشأة منهج CPAوتعريفه وعرض خطواته وإجراءاته ومقارنته بالتعلم الإتقاني مع عرض تطبيقات من کتاب الرياضيات لشرح مفاهيم رياضية باستخدام منهج الـــــــــCPA، أما المحور الرابع فعرض: المثال تطبيقي للتعلم بالإتقان من کتاب الرياضيات للصف السادس. الکلمات المفتاحية: الرياضيات، التحصيل، التعلم الإتقاني. ABSTRACT: The Role of Mastery Learning in Enhancing the Level of Achievement in Mathematics with an Applied Model among the Sixth Grade Students This research paper aimed to explain the role of mastery education in enhancing the level of achievement in mathematics with an applied model among the sixth grade students. The research made use of the descriptive method, and it was composed of four main dimensions. The first dimension included the conceptual framework for mastery learning in terms of its concept and features. The second dimension tackled the obstacles of mastery learning and how to overcome them through providing the components of mastery learning and fulfilling the requirements and procedures for activating mastery learning to enhance the level of achievement in mathematics among elementary school students with regard to observing the principles of learning for mastery, taking into account the components of mastery learning, achieving the steps of applying mastery learning, activating the teacher's role in mastery learning, activating the learner’s role in mastery learning, and providing the basic requirements for mastery learning. The third dimension addressed the features of the CPA curriculum with some practical examples, the emergence of the CPA curriculum, its definition, presentation of its steps and procedures, and its comparison with mastery learning with an applications from a mathematics book to explain mathematical concepts using the CPA curriculum. The fourth dimension presented an applied example of mastery learning from Mathematics book among the sixth grade.

Farklı Öğrenme Yollarının Kullanıldığı Zengin Öğrenme Ortamlarının Matematiksel Muhakeme Becerisine ve Problem Çözmeye Yönelik Tutuma Etkisi

Bu araştırmanın amacı, farklı öğrenme yolları kullanılarak zenginleştirilen öğrenme ortamında öğrenme tercihlerine göre oluşturulan işbirlikli heterojen öğrenci gruplarıyla gerçekleştirilecek öğretimin matematiksel muhakeme becerisine ve problem çözmeye yönelik tutuma etkisini incelemektir. Çalışma Güneydoğu Anadolu bölgesinde bulunan bir il merkezinden rastgele seçilen bir devlet ortaokulunda okuyan yedinci sınıflar arasında matematik başarısı açısından orta düzeyde ve öğrenme stilleri açısından heterojen dağılım gösteren 23 öğrencinin katılımıyla gerçekleşmiştir. Zenginleştirilen öğrenme ortamlarında kesirler ve tamsayılar konularının öğretimi; teknoloji destekli uygulamalar, eğitsel oyunlar, somut materyaller ve karikatürler kullanılarak, günlük yaşamla ilişkilendirilerek ve işbirlikli heterojen gruplarla yapıcı tartışmalar yapılarak 6 hafta boyunca gerçekleştirilmiştir. Araştırma, nicel araştırma yaklaşımlarından öntest - sontest kontrol grupsuz deneysel desen kullanılarak gerçekleştirilmiştir. Araştırmanın verileri, Matematiksel Muhakeme Testi (MMT)’ne ve Matematik Problemi Çözme Tutum Ölçeği (MPÇTÖ)’ne öntest ve sonteste verdikleri cevaplardan elde edilmiştir. MMT’ye verilen cevaplar Wilcoxon İşaretli Sıralar Testi ve Kruskal Wallis testi ile analiz edilmiştir. Ayrıca MMT’ye ilişkin bazı öğrenci cevapları öntest ve sonteste göre kıyaslanarak yorumlanmıştır. MPÇTÖ’ye verilen cevaplar ise ilişkili örneklemler için t-testi kullanılmıştır. Bu öğrenme ortamında gerçekleştirilen öğretimin öğrencilerin matematiksel muhakeme becerilerini anlamlı düzeyde geliştirdiği ve matematik problemi çözme tutumlarını anlamlı düzeyde iyileştirdiğini göstermiştir. Bu öğrenme ortamının her öğrenme stilline yönelik matematiksel muhakeme becerisini anlamlı düzeyde geliştirdiği ancak öğrenme stilleri açısından bir muhakeme becerisinin gelişiminde bir farklılaşmanın olmadığı tespit edilmiştir.

Is private supplementary tutoring effective? A longitudinally detailed analysis of private tutoring quality in China

In general, private supplementary tutoring is considered an effective means of improving academic achievement by parents. However, previous studies have produced partial or inconclusive results regarding its effectiveness. Thus, the present study conducted a comprehensive analysis based on a specially designed longitudinal survey of private supplementary mathematics tutoring among middle school students in China. The hierarchical linear analysis did not show a considerably significant positive effect of regular private tutoring, even when such tutoring continued throughout the summer vacation and school semester. The data also allowed a deeper inquiry into the role of the quality, quantity, and applicability of private tutoring. In addition, the heterogeneous effect of private supplementary tutoring across students with different mathematics achievement levels was explored, with possible explanations including the different learning styles of students from different groups, the ceiling effect of the testing tool, and the different learning needs of different groups of students. These results suggest that parents should carefully select private tutoring for their children, and that the government should provide more comprehensive professional guidelines to regulate the industry.

Perception of Students about Homework in Mathematics

Homework has been a source of debate in schools for the past several decades and will continue to be an important topic in the future. It is a traditional part of education but some debate its importance in the classroom. This study explored student perception of homework and their reported performance in basic and secondary level school mathematics. The research questions focused on student attitudes about homework, the relationship of students’ self-efficacy and support resources to their homework completion, and the relationship of students’ general level of achievement in mathematics with respect to gender, level and achievement level. The study involved a survey of 402 students of Tokha Municipality. The survey did not demonstrate reliable measurement of the hypothesized factors of purpose, self-efficacy, and support resources related to students’ overall perceptions about homework. However, overall, students reported positive attitudes and grades in math class. On the basis of gender and level in which students study, there is no significant difference on the perception while there is statistically significant difference on the basis of students' achievement in examination. It is recommended that a good and healthy home environment and sound teacher student relationship yields in good achievement score and boosts up overall perception on mathematics homework.

Comparative Study of Levels of Academic Self Esteem and Academic Achievement in Mathematics among Pupils of Two and Single Parent Families

The study aimed at comparing levels of academic self-esteem and academic achievement in mathematics among students of two and single parent families. Based on the purposes of the study two research questions and two null hypotheses were formulated and tested at 0.05 level of significance. The design of the study was comparative survey research design. The population of the study comprised all 1,267 SS2 students in Owerri Municipal Council Area of Imo State. The instruments used for data collection were Academic Self Esteem Questionnaire (ASEQ) and Mathematics Achievement Test (MAT) to obtain relevant data. The validity of the instruments was done by experts in Measurement and Evaluation and one expert each from Educational psychology and Mathematics Education. The reliability of the instruments was 0.72 and 0.85, determined using Pearson Product Moment Correlational (PPMC) statistics were used. Data collected were analyzed using t-test at 0.05 level of significance. There is a statistically significant difference in levels of academic self-esteem and academic achievement in mathematics among students from single parent families and those from two parent families.

PISA 2018 결과에 나타난 우리나라 학생들의 수학 성취 및 학교 풍토와 학생 웰빙 관련 결과 탐색

PISA was implemented in 43 countries and economics in the first assessment. But now it has become a representative international comparative study as the number of participating countries and the interest in PISA results have increased. At the end of last year, the OECD announced the PISA 2018 results, and Korea recorded a high level of achievement, similar to the PISA 2015 results of the previous cycle. However, considering that the mean score of the PISA 2015 mathematics declined by 30 points compared to the PISA 2012 mathematics, it is necessary to interpret the PISA 2018 results by trend analysis on the percentage of the correct response and the proficiency in mathematics in addition to the comparison of the mean scores. Meanwhile, PISA provides indices of the educational context variables as well as the results of student achievement. Thus, this study outlined the results of the PISA 2018 mathematics domain, analyzed the trend of the percentage of correct answer by subcategory of mathematics framework and the results of school climate and student well-being by mathematics achievement level and also derived the implications for improving students’ achievement.

Preferred Learning Styles according to the Model “HONEY & MUMFORD” among Preparatory year Students at Shaqra University and its Relation to the level of Mathematics achievement: أنماط التعلم المفضلة وفق نموذج "HONEY & MUMFORD" لدى طلاب السنة التحضيرية بجامعة شقراء وعلاقتها بمستوى التحصيل الدراسي في الرياضيات

This research aimed to measure the style of learning, its percentage and its preferences among a sample of students of the preparatory year, and to reveal the correlation between the learning style and the level of academic achievement in mathematics (Mathematics Course 130). After confirming the validity and reliability, Applied the measure of (Honey and Mumford) on a sample of (53) students of the preparatory year students at the University of Shaqra. The results of the research showed that the Reflector style is the highest learning style preferred of the sample with 37.7% and its index is moderate. The Pragmatist style came second in the standings of preference by 22.6% and its index is moderate, followed by the Theorist style by 20.8% and index is moderate, and finally came the activity style by 18.9% and strong index, the research also found that the Reflector style came in the first standing of preference among low and medium achievement students, where the percentage of the highest style of students reached 40.0%, 39.3% respectively and the strength of its index (moderate) in both categories, where the percentage was the highest pattern for students 40.0%, 39.3% respectively and the strength of its index (moderate) in both categories, while came Practical style ranked first in standing of preference among High-achieving students, with a higher student style of 60.0%, The results also showed that there were no statistically significant differences in the study sample in the achievement of the course (130 mathematics) according to the learning style according to the (Honey and Mumford) measure. In light of these results, the researcher recommended: Provide a suitable classroom environment to diversify the teaching experiences in the teaching of the preparatory year students according to their learning styles, and use of various teaching methods and strategies, specially for reflective learning style.

EVALUATING MATHEMATICS LEARNING EXPERIENCE OF GRADE 7 STUDENTS OF BATO SCHOOL OF FISHERIES

A positive learning experience stems from active engagement with the lesson and greater interaction in learning activities. This study investigated the types of learning experience of students in Bato School of Fisheries, Leyte, Philippines such as Hands-on, Minds-on and Authentic Learning. Also, the study analyzed the students’ level of achievement in learning mathematics under each type of learning experience. The study employed a random of 25% of the grade 7 students for experimental design that involves qualitative and quantitative approach. Result shows that the Hands-on learning experience of students is in beginning level which needs a proper guidance of the mathematics teacher. It is shown that students are more capable of Hands-on group activities in mathematics. For Minds-on learning experience, students are also in beginning level, however, it is found out that they are good in critical thinking processes which create and recreate mathematics concepts for the core topics. Furthermore, authentic learning experience is in beginning level, lowest among the 3 types of learning experience. This means that students must develop their problem solving skills in mathematics with the aid of suitable teaching strategies. Anyhow, it is found out that these students have a proficient level in mathematics achievement probably by their past knowledge. Hence, a good level of achievement in mathematics can be maintain or improve through enhancing the 3 types of learning experience especially the authentic aspect.

EXPLORING STUDENTS’ METACOGNITIVE REGULATION SKILLS AND MATHEMATICS ACHIEVEMENT IN IMPLEMENTATION OF 21ST CENTURY LEARNING IN MALAYSIA

21st-century learning is integral to the transformation of the curriculum in Malaysia with the transition from School Integrated Curriculum (SIC) to School Standard Curriculum (SSC) introduced around 2014. During this time, the implementation of 21st-century learning was acceptable and very rewarding. However, the impact of implementation on students' skills, abilities, potentials and achievements should be looked at to ensure that the new curriculum is stable and practical to continue. There is a need to discuss the level of metacognitive regulation skills and students’ achievement in line with the introduction and implementation of 21st-century learning in the context of the Malaysian curriculum. Therefore, this research was conducted to examine whether the implementation of 21st-century learning has an impact on metacognitive regulation skills and student achievement. This quantitative survey was conducted by 201 Form 2 students from four secondary schools in Pasir Gudang District, Johor, Malaysia. The results show that the level of students' metacognitive regulation skills and the level of achievement in mathematics is moderate. Correlation analysis also showed there was a significant correlation between metacognitive regulation skills and student achievement. The implications from this research suggest that stakeholders including ministries, curriculum developers, education departments and teachers need to take initiatives to strengthen and improve the reputation of curriculum transformation in line with the 21st-century learning era in producing quality education. Keywords: curriculum transformation, mathematics learning, metacognitive regulation skills, students’ achievement, 21st-century learning.

Parental Autonomy-Support, Parental Control, SES, and Mathematics Achievement: A Latent Profile Analysis

ABSTRACT Research has demonstrated that parental autonomy-support and control are two related but distinct factors. However, little research has investigated the different levels of parental autonomy-support (versus control) and the effects of these differences on student outcomes. This study addresses these gaps by identifying a typology of parents who vary in the levels of autonomy-support and control using latent profile analysis, and examining the relationships among family SES, parenting (parental autonomy-support and control), and students’ mathematics achievement. The sample (N = 468, Grades 7 & 8) of this study were students from a secondary school in Shenzhen, Mainland China. Participants completed a parenting questionnaire and some items measuring socioeconomic status. Results revealed that there were three subtypes of parenting as perceived by students: Ruling parents, Democratic parents, and Governing parents. Parents with the highest family SES were more likely to be Ruling or, to a lesser extent, Governing parents. Students with Ruling parents had higher levels of mathematics achievement than their peers with Democratic or Governing parents. Findings have implications for future research to provide better assessments of the impacts of parenting style on student achievement and for parents and teachers working closely to support student learning.

Exploration of the Low Arithmetic Achievement on Primary Students: Teacher’s Perspectives

According to the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS), the level of Mathematics achievement in Malaysia for primary levels has seemed to be steadily decreased from 2003 to 2007. Although there are many efforts done by the government, NGOs, societies and parents in order to increase students’ performance in mathematics, it is still decreasing significantly and unfortunately the same problems carry until when it comes to secondary level. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to identify the causes of weaknesses of students’ achievement from the teachers’ perspectives. In addition, this paper aims to determine the effective strategies approaches for low achievement in mathematics and lastly to improvise the teaching and learning process for the future. An exclusive interview with the experienced mathematics teachers from a public and private school was conducted.

Modelling competencies of school learners in the beginning and final year of secondary school mathematics

A widely used instrument was implemented to ascertain the mathematical modelling competency displayed by a cohort of South African learners in grade 10 and grade 12 of the school mathematics programme in South Africa. The cohort comprised 471 grade 10 and 200 grade 12 learners from schools serving learners from low socio-economic status communities. A quantitative survey design was used to investigate whether there are differences between the mathematical modelling competencies of the two cohorts. Differences along gender lines were also investigated, as were linkages between mathematics achievement levels and the displayed mathematical modelling competency. Lastly, differences between the mathematical modelling competencies between the groups were pursued. Non-parametric statistical procedures were used to analyse the data. The results show that although the mathematical modelling competency was low for both groups there were significant differences for the overall modelling competency. For three of the competencies, there were significant differences between the groups but not all in favour of the grade 12 group. The results are finally discussed in relation to the structuring effect the curriculum document, textbooks and high-stakes examinations have on the realization of the espoused inclusion of mathematical modelling in the curriculum.

CULTURAL FACTORS IN LEARNING MATHEMATICS: THE CASE ON ACHIEVEMENT LEVEL AMONG BADJAO STUDENTS

This study focused mainly on the cultural factors such as beliefs, value practices and exposure to technology-related instructional materials in learning mathematics in regards to their level of achievement among Badjao students. At present, there are limited studies on the learning factors in regards to the level of achievement in mathematics among Badjao students in Bato, Leyte, Philippines. The study employed 71 Badjao elementary and high school students in four selected schools in the municipality of Bato, Leyte using a complete enumeration. Descriptive statistics and Chi-square Contingency Coefficient were used to characterize the variables of interest and to capture its relationships, respectively. Result reveals that the belief of Badjao students is high which indicates that mathematics is important to their daily lives and well-being. However, when it comes to their value practices, Badjao students rated average, which implies that they have mediocre study habits towards mathematics. Findings revealed that almost all of the Badjao students are beginners in their proficiency level in learning mathematics. Result shows that there is a significant relationship between mathematics achievement of the Badjao students and their beliefs about mathematics as well as their value practices in learning mathematics. Furthermore, their level of achievement in mathematics and level of exposure to technology-related instructional materials has no relationships.

A brain connectivity characterization of children with different levels of mathematical achievement based on graph metrics.

Recent studies aiming to facilitate mathematical skill development in primary school children have explored the electrophysiological characteristics associated with different levels of arithmetic achievement. The present work introduces an alternative EEG signal characterization using graph metrics and, based on such features, a classification analysis using a decision tree model. This proposal aims to identify group differences in brain connectivity networks with respect to mathematical skills in elementary school children. The methods of analysis utilized were signal-processing (EEG artifact removal, Laplacian filtering, and magnitude square coherence measurement) and the characterization (Graph metrics) and classification (Decision Tree) of EEG signals recorded during performance of a numerical comparison task. Our results suggest that the analysis of quantitative EEG frequency-band parameters can be used successfully to discriminate several levels of arithmetic achievement. Specifically, the most significant results showed an accuracy of 80.00% (α band), 78.33% (δ band), and 76.67% (θ band) in differentiating high-skilled participants from low-skilled ones, averaged-skilled subjects from all others, and averaged-skilled participants from low-skilled ones, respectively. The use of a decision tree tool during the classification stage allows the identification of several brain areas that seem to be more specialized in numerical processing.

Mainstream and immigrant students’ primary school mathematics achievement differences in European countries

The few studies on the achievement differences of mainstream and immigrant primary school students in large-scale assessments point to an achievement gap in many subject areas, with immigrant students trailing mainstream students. A recurrent methodological problem of these studies is that the two student groups do not come from comparable backgrounds. This study examined the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) math achievement of 4th grade mainstream and immigrant students in various European countries. Results showed that there was no systematic difference between first- and second-generation immigrants’ mathematics achievement levels. It was found that after statistically matching the background resources of the mainstream and immigrant students, both groups revealed comparable levels in mathematics. Finally, related to country characteristics that were associated with educational achievement, it was found that immigrant students in countries which had higher human development indicators showed higher educational performance.

Effects of the Medium of Instruction in Comprehending Mathematical Word Problems

This study aimed to determine the effects of the medium of instruction (MOI) used in teaching to the learners’ ability to comprehend mathematical word problems. Additionally, the study aimed to find out whether there is a significant difference in the mathematical performance of public school learners who were taught using Cebuano as MOI compared with private school learners who were taught using English as MOI. Anchored on Common Underlying Proficiency Theory of Cummins, Meaningful Verbal Learning Theory of Ausubel and other related studies, this research sough to know how the language affects mathematics learning. The design used is a causal comparative between two elementary schools, one private and another public. Purposive sampling was used to get the top twenty learners from each class who were chosen as research participants. Using arithmetic mean, standard deviation, t-test and z-test formula, data were statistically treated. The findings revealed that the level of mathematics achievement of the learners of both private and public schools were higher using English rather than their mother tongue, Cebuano. Findings also revealed a significant difference in the performance of both groups of learners in the two types of questionnaires. Furthermore, no significant difference was found between the performance of private school learners compared to the public school learners. Thus, it can be concluded that the medium of instruction affects the comprehension of the learners in mathematical problem.

English Language Anxiety and Its Effect on Students’ Mathematics Achievement

Difficulties faced in learning a specific mathematical vocabulary are amplified through incomplete English knowledge among students who English Language Learners (ELLs). Therefore, the present study aims to investigate the relationship between English language anxiety and the mathematical achievement of EFL/ESL students who are using EMI. Mixed research method was employed to identify and understand this relationship between language anxiety and mathematics achievement in the math classroom. To collect quantitative data, a questionnaire was distributed to the students to measure their level of English language anxiety and mathematics achievement using their grades in their mathematics classes. The association between English language anxiety levels and ESL/EFL achievement in Mathematics was investigated through Pearson’s correlation test. The results showed medium levels English language anxiety among the EFL/ESL students with a mean of (2.15) and a standard deviation of (0.73). The results indicated no statistical difference in means of English language anxiety that can be attributed to the program type or graduation year (α≤ 0.05). The study concluded that English language anxiety was neutral as majority of students become nervous, when the teacher asks them unexpected questions.

A Theoretical Inquiry into the Ethics of Mathematics Teaching

This paper explores the ethics of the mathematics teacher, starting from the ethical obligations that all human being and professionals share towards those in their care. Most notably this involves a duty of care for students, since teachers can be the most influential persons after their parents. The ethics of mathematics teaching is analysed as concerning the aims of school mathematics, the selection of pedagogy, and the selection of content. The equal treatment of all students is also a central principle, although there are ethical dilemmas posed by the spread of achievement levels in mathematics. The ethical content of school mathematics itself is also considered, although this is a controversial issue. The paper notes that the modern tendency is for teachers to be viewed almost as technicians delivering the centrally decided mathematics curriculum. This paper argues that teachers have ethical agency which can and should still be exercised while meeting professional and institutional obligations.