Facilitating Professional Growth of Taiwanese In-service Mathematics Teachers Through an Innovative School-Based Program

Abstract

The chapter begins with the present challenges that mathematics educators in Taiwan are facing. It outlines the hierarchical structure of in-service teacher development and highlights how the top-down approach often adopted may not address the needs of classroom teachers. The authors of the chapter next describe an innovative school-based program, Lighten-up School-Based Program (LUSBP), they initiated for facilitating professional growth of mathematics teachers in Taiwan. The core for LUSBP is that all tiers of educators, teachers, and students learn through active participation whilst interacting with each other. The project employs a design-based approach with teachers as designers who learn from the process of creating tasks, enacting tasks with classroom students, and revising tasks based on students’ learning. The school-based model enables the creation of a friendly learning environment where teachers take it for granted to make changes and are willing to share their experiences with one another. The outcomes of LUSBP are positive and hold promise for the future.