Mathematics Teacher Education Programs Research Articles

FIRST-YEAR TEACHERS' IMPLEMENTATION OF THE NCTM STANDARDS

ABSTRACT Recent publications concerned with reforming mathematics education have called for prospective teachers of mathematics to be taught in a manner consistent with how they will be expected to teach, that is, in a way consistent with the instructional practices recommended in the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics [NCTM] Standards documents. Until this is common, graduates of our mathematics teacher education programs will be placed in a difficult situation: they will be asked to teach in a manner that for most them represents a radical change from the way in which they were taught mathematics. Twelve 1995 graduates of a secondary school mathematics program with a strong emphasis on the Standards took part in a study related to their experiences as first year teachers (FYTs) of mathematics. Having completed most of their mathematics classes before the publication of the NCTM Standards documents, the FYTs' own experiences as learners of mathematics in school were not influenced by the Standards, and not necessarily likely to be in accordance with them. The following questions are considered: To what extent were the FYTs able to implement the Standards in their teaching? What were the barriers to the FYTs' implementation of the Standards? What factors contributed to their successes? What instructional practices were used by the FYTs? What are the implications for mathematics teacher education programs?

Pre-service teachers' beliefs about and attitudes toward mathematics: the case of Dudu

There is a need to move beyond the use of predetermined categories to classify teachers' orientations and an attempt should be made to understand, from the teachers' perspectives, their orientations and the beliefs from which they are generated. Such an understanding may help in the development of mathematics teacher education programmes that will assist teachers to formulate appropriate attitudes toward mathematics. This paper provides an in-depth study of one pre-service elementary teacher's views about mathematics and mathematics teaching. Dudu is a `case' that fits in with the emergent themes identified in the larger sample. Data for the study were collected by means of audio tape, an observational framework, field notes, student's written work and unstructured and formal interviews. The themes that emerged and that were emphasised by the participant were: limited vision for mathematics, construction of meaning in mathematics, knowledge of mathematics content and poor self-perception of pre-service primary mathematics teachers. The findings also suggest that although the participant reported uneasiness in learning mathematics, she was very enthusiastic about her teaching practice.

There's Nothing that Bugs People More than Sort of Remembering: Ambiguity in the Growth of a Science Teacher

This article presents an analysis of interviews done with a woman science teacher, Pat, over a six-year period. The interviews began when Pat was a student in a science and mathematics teacher education program, and continued into her third year of teaching. The writer examines changes in Pat's ideas about learning, about herself as a learner, and about teaching. In addition, the writer examines some of the research and ethical issues involved in doing this research and the changes in her own ideas as the study progressed. As Pat's ideas became more elaborated and instantiated in her own practice, the value of the uncertainty she expressed early in the interview process became clear. What the writer first interpreted as a weakness or lack of clarity slowly appeared as a strength, for Pat's recognition of her lack of certainty seemed to contribute to her later ability not only to tolerate the ambiguities of teaching but to use these as sources for experimentation and growth.

Learning to Teach Hard Mathematics: Do Novice Teachers and Their Instructors Give up Too Easily?

This article analyzes from several vantage points a classroom lesson in which a student teacher was unsuccessful in providing a conceptually based justification for the standard division-of-fractions algorithm. We attempt to understand why the lesson failed, what it reveals about learning to teach, and what the implications are for mathematics teacher education. We focus on (a) the student teacher's beliefs about good mathematics teaching, her knowledge related to division of fractions, and her beliefs about learning to teach; and (b) the treatment of division of fractions in the mathematics methods course she took. The student teacher's conception of good mathematics teaching included components compatible with current views of effective mathematics teaching. However, these beliefs are difficult to achieve without a stronger conceptual knowledge base and a greater commitment to use available resources and to engage in hard thinking than she possessed. Further, the mathematics methods course did not require the student teacher to reconsider her knowledge base, to confront the contradictions between her knowledge base and at least some of her beliefs, or to reassess her beliefs about how she would learn to teach. These findings suggest that mathematics teacher education programs should reconsider how they provide subject matter knowledge and opportunities to teach it, and whether and how they challenge student teachers' existing beliefs.

The Issue of Reform: What Have We Learned from Yesteryear?

One of the central issues facing our profession is how the NCTM Curriculum and Evaluation Standards for School Mathematics (1987) can influence mathematics teacher education programs. This question and the issues in which the question is embedded not only are highly relevant to our professional interests but are, ultimately, primary to our professional activity. My experiences both as a teacher and as a teacher educator suggest that the task that lies ahead is both significant and awesome.

Results of A Questionnaire on Secondary Mathematics Teacher-Education Programs

The survey reported here was conducted for the purpose of obtaining information about the status of secondary school mathematics teacher-education programs. The dearth of information about teacher-education programs was emphasized in the NACOME report (1975). The NACOME report particularly pointed out that little evidence exists on activities oriented toward preparation of mathematics teachers. This report represents an attempt to provide such information. In reporting the results, questions will be identified that need to be asked in order to obtain a clearer picture of the dynamics of a teacher-education program. We regret that we did not ask these questions.

The ‘ crisis’ in mathematics instruction and a new teacher education at grammar school level

The present article takes its starting point in the observation, affirmed by several people, that mathematics instruction at all levels is in a ‘ crisis ‘, a crisis of relevance. The paper argues—after having presented a sketch of the function and organization of the existing mathematics instruction—that a necessary condition for the crisis to be dissolved is that the role of mathematics undergoes a radical change, such as that instruction be built up on the basis not of a puzzle‐like but a properproblem‐orientation, where real, complex non‐mathematical problems are subject to mathematical treatment. These considerations are followed up by a valuation of the role and the education of the teacher, concluding that the teacher himself in his education must have worked with such real, complex problems and not only with the theories and methods of mathematics in itself. The paper is concluded with a description of a new mathematics teacher education programme (at grammar school level), which has proper, proble...

Report on Meeting of the Cooperative Committee on the Teaching of Science and Mathematics

The Cooperative Committee on the Teaching of Science and Mathematics of the AAAS was held in the new AAAS building in Washington, D. C., on October 11 and 13, 1956. The following items are of particular interest to members of the NABT and should indicate how the NABT benefits by having a member attend these cooperative meetings. The Science Teacher Improvement Program (STIP) has continued to encourage the professional education of all science teachers. The work started in 1955-56 in the colleges and universities will be continued. It is hoped that a plan can be developed for the promotion of this activity on a regional basis, for which leadership will be obtained from scientists working in their own region. The plan calls for 18 regions and each regional consultant would have an annual budget of $300. The cooperation w i t h professional education groups will be extended to include further wvork with organizations on projects already started and new activities with other groups. Scientists are being invited to work with the Teacher Education and Professional Standards Commissions in every state to assist in formulating proper certification standards. The AAAS in cooperating with the NAS-NRC Educational Advisory Review Board in a review of the use of television in science teaching. STIP is planning to cooperate with NEA on a special study of merit salary increases. An interesting proposal has been received from Ventura Countv, California, in aiding the working conditions of teachers. This proposal covers purchase of equipment and library materials which will be used in projects involving science teachers in research. The science counselor service has been started at Penn State University, University of Nebraska, University of Oregon and the University of Texas. This is the plan whereby selected counselors, two from each universitv, visit approximately 25 schools each at several times during the year, to aid those science teachers who can benefit from meetings with university personnel. Plans are under way for special regional conferences of state colleges in the Midwest to consider ways of improving science and mathematics teacher education programs and relationships with secondary schools. Support has been given to the development of Junior Academies, Science Fairs and Science Clubs.