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Shared authority in the mathematics classroom: successes and challenges throughout one teacher’s trajectory implementing ambitious practices

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Abstract

A critical role of mathematics teacher education is to equip teachers with understandings and ambitious practices that support effective mathematics teaching for students from diverse backgrounds, specifically connecting to children’s mathematical thinking (CMT) and children’s linguistic, cultural, and family funds of knowledge (CFoK). Drawing on data from a larger research project, TEACH Math, this longitudinal case study uses the lens of authority to examine one teacher’s, Sena’s, understandings and practices related to CMT and CFoK over a 4-year period, i.e., through mathematics methods, student teaching, and early career teaching. Findings identify changes made in understandings and practices related to CMT and CFoK, with a focus on the development of recognition and realization rules. Emphasis is placed on how authority was shared in the classroom and how this may have impacted one teacher’s development of two very different learning-to-teach trajectories for connecting to CMT and CFoK. Implications for teacher educators focused on supporting novice teachers in developing ambitious mathematics teaching practices are discussed.

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Notes

  1. Here, and in the remainder of the paper, the order of first CMT and then CFoK is not indicative of prioritizing one component of ambitious and equitable teaching over another.

  2. This and all other names are pseudonyms.

  3. This is a general descriptor to protect the identity of our participant.

  4. For more information, see the project Web site: Teachmath.info.

  5. All data sources are from the designated period of time (i.e., Methods), unless otherwise noted.

  6. In this model, the teacher demonstrates a problem, the class does a problem together, and then the students work on their own.

  7. enVision is a K-8 mathematics curriculum published by Pearson (enVision Math Common Core 2012).

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Acknowledgements

National Science Foundation Award DRL #1228034.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. New York University, New York City, NY, USA

    Jennifer Y. Kinser-Traut

  2. University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA

    Erin E. Turner

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  1. Jennifer Y. Kinser-Traut
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Correspondence to Jennifer Y. Kinser-Traut.

Appendix: Example of coded data from phase 1 and phase 2

Appendix: Example of coded data from phase 1 and phase 2

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Kinser-Traut, J.Y., Turner, E.E. Shared authority in the mathematics classroom: successes and challenges throughout one teacher’s trajectory implementing ambitious practices. J Math Teacher Educ 23, 5–34 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10857-018-9410-x

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