Abstract
This article reports findings from a study of preservice mathematics teacher education students and their beliefs about and experiences with students in an urban high school. The preservice teacher education students participated as mentors to a group of peer tutors in a mathematics tutoring program. Data collected from questionnaires and interviews reveal that the mentors had varied perceptions of tutoring program participants’ motivation, interest, and knowledge of mathematics. Mentors held varied perceptions of urban schools and what teaching mathematics in urban settings entails. Further, mentors reported that their work in the tutoring program had an impact on their strategies and plans for future mathematics teaching.
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Acknowledgments
With gratitude, I acknowledge Professor O. Roger Anderson and the Department of Mathematics, Science, and Technology at Teachers College for support of this work and the graduate students who participated as mentors and research assistants on this project. I also gratefully acknowledge the staff, students, and teachers at Waring High School for their participation and support, and the anonymous Urban Review reviewers for their comments and suggestions.
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Erica N. Walker is Assistant Professor of Mathematics Education in the Department of Mathematics, Science, and Technology and Research Fellow at the Institute for Urban and Minority Education at Teachers College, Columbia University.
Appendix A
Appendix A
Questionnaire
1. For the following questions (a-l) please choose a number between 1 (strongly disagree) and 7 (strongly agree). | |
a. I am glad that I participated in this project. | 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 |
b.The Waring tutees have been eager to participate. | 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 |
c. The Waring tutees learned a lot of mathematics from their Waring tutors. | 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 |
d. The Waring tutees learned a lot of mathematics from the mentors/research assistants. | 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 |
e. I have learned a lot about how students think about mathematics as a result of my participation in this project. | 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 |
f. I feel this experience will help me in my high school mathematics teaching. | 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 |
g. I have learned a lot about urban high school students as a result of this project. | 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 |
h. The Waring student tutors understand math very well. | 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 |
i. The Waring student tutors have been eager to participate. | 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 |
j. The Waring teachers have been supportive of the project. | 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 |
k. I enjoyed going to the school every week. | 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 |
l. I would recommend participating in this in this project or one like it to other graduate students. | 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 |
2. What was the best thing about participating in this Project? | |
3. What was the worst thing about participating in this Project? | |
4. From this experience, what things will be most helpful to you in preparing to become a high school mathematics teacher? | |
Interview Protocol
Questions for Mentors
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Describe your experience as a mentor at the Waring school.
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What have you learned from your experience at the Waring school.
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What were some of the challenges? Explain.
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How did you deal with/handle any challenges? Please provide an example.
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Has your experience as a mentor at the Waring school affected your perception of teaching? In what ways? Describe.
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What has been your experience with urban high school students before participating in the Peer Tutoring project? Did you learn anything new about urban high school students from working with these students? What would you tell your friends about urban high school students? Fellow teachers? Your parents?
Regarding the Peer Tutors
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What have you observed about the mathematical knowledge of the Waring peer tutors? Explain.
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What changes or growth have you observed in their math knowledge? How can you tell? Please give an example.
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What changes or growth have you observed in their tutoring? Explain. Please provide an example.
Regarding the Tutees
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What have you observed about the mathematical knowledge of the tutees? Explain.
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What changes or growth have you observed in their math knowledge? How can you tell? Please give an example.
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What kinds of mistakes were most common?
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How did you or the peer tutors help the tutees understand and/or correct their mistakes?
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Provide a specific example.
What other comments would you like to make about the program?
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Walker, E.N. Preservice Teachers’ Perceptions of Mathematics Education in Urban Schools. Urban Rev 39, 519–540 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11256-007-0056-8
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11256-007-0056-8