Reforming Mathematics Teacher Education Through Self-Study

Abstract

Abstract Mathematics teacher educators have sought to play a major role in reforming mathematics education through the preparation of new teachers entering the field; however, the impact of their efforts is often quickly lost when the powerful pedagogical practices and beliefs about constructivism as a theory of learning acquired during their pre-service programs are not shared with the established cultures they enter as beginning teachers. As a mathematics teacher educator, I have struggled with this reality since I entered the field in the mid 1990s. To attempt to imbue my teachers with the habits of mind that will sustain them in the face of resistance from their colleagues, I have structured my class around reflective writing and discussion of critical incidents they experience while completing their field experiences. At the end of the semester, my students write a final paper that describes how their personal philosophy of teaching has evolved over the course of the semester, and what has influenced that evolution. In this chapter, I will report on my self-study and analysis of my students’ final papers and summarize the themes that emerge. I discuss what I have learned about the effectiveness of these activities and about the difficulties of preparing teachers to enter their own classrooms with strong beliefs about the importance of teaching for understanding.