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Stereotypes and the Education of In-Service Mathematics Teachers in Urban Schools

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Problem Solving in Mathematics Instruction and Teacher Professional Development

Part of the book series: Research in Mathematics Education ((RME))

Abstract

Research has shown that reform-based instruction focused on solving nonroutine mathematics problems positively impacts low-income students’ learning opportunities, participation, and identities. Working in groups, discussing mathematical ideas, and engaging in rich whole-class mathematical conversations seem to promote interactions that challenge the invisible role usually played by this student population within mathematics classrooms. Nevertheless, learning to implement this type of mathematics teaching in urban school settings is a difficult endeavor for teachers. In these contexts, teachers’ practices are strongly mediated by the social representations of their students that materialize in low expectations. In this paper, I explore a high school mathematics teacher’s learning process to enhance the participation of his students while solving nonroutine problems. Using the notion of reflective practice, the teacher had the opportunity to critically think about his own learning experiences. The results evidence the complexity involved in implementing reform-based mathematics instruction in urban school settings and the critical role played by deeply rooted stereotypical representations in his process of learning and opportunities to change his teaching.

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Acknowledgment

Funding from Fondecyt Conicyt #3180238 and PIA-CONICYT Funds for Centers of Excellence #FB0003 is gratefully acknowledged.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Center of Advanced Research in Education, University of Chile, Santiago, Chile

    Luz Valoyes-Chávez

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  1. Luz Valoyes-Chávez
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Correspondence to Luz Valoyes-Chávez .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Departamento de Ingeniería Matemática, University of Chile, Santiago, Chile

    Patricio Felmer

  2. Faculty of Education, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC, Canada

    Peter Liljedahl

  3. Department of Science Teaching, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel

    Boris Koichu

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Valoyes-Chávez, L. (2019). Stereotypes and the Education of In-Service Mathematics Teachers in Urban Schools. In: Felmer, P., Liljedahl, P., Koichu, B. (eds) Problem Solving in Mathematics Instruction and Teacher Professional Development. Research in Mathematics Education. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-29215-7_20

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-29215-7_20

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-030-29214-0

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-030-29215-7

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