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Lesson Study in a Mathematics Methods Course: Overcoming Cultural Barriers

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Theory and Practice of Lesson Study in Mathematics

Part of the book series: Advances in Mathematics Education ((AME))

Abstract

In order to support the development of deeper mathematical understanding of preservice teachers, we have two main goals in our university mathematics methods course. They are for secondary preservice teachers to have rich conversations about (1) the mathematics of their lessons and (2) how students think about that mathematics. This paper describes our application of modified Japanese lesson study to meet these goals and how the US cultural views of teaching and mathematics were barriers to achieving those goals. Reflecting on 15 years of using lesson study to meet our methods course goals, we describe specific course revisions and changes necessary to overcome these cultural barriers and, thus, further improve the quality and quantity of preservice teacher candidates’ conversations about the mathematics of their lessons and how students think about that mathematics.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Mathematics Education, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT, USA

    Blake E. Peterson & Dawn Teuscher

  2. School of Education, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA, USA

    Thomas E. Ricks

Authors
  1. Blake E. Peterson
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  2. Dawn Teuscher
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  3. Thomas E. Ricks
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Blake E. Peterson .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Middle Tennessee State University, Murfreesboro, TN, USA

    Rongjin Huang

  2. College of Education, DePaul University, Chicago, IL, USA

    Akihiko Takahashi

  3. College of Education, University of Lisbon, Lisbon, Portugal

    JoĂŁo Pedro da Ponte

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Peterson, B.E., Teuscher, D., Ricks, T.E. (2019). Lesson Study in a Mathematics Methods Course: Overcoming Cultural Barriers. In: Huang, R., Takahashi, A., da Ponte, J.P. (eds) Theory and Practice of Lesson Study in Mathematics. Advances in Mathematics Education. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-04031-4_26

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-04031-4_26

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-030-04030-7

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-030-04031-4

  • eBook Packages: EducationEducation (R0)

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