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Building on mathematical events in the classroom

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Abstract

Mathematical events from classrooms were used as stimuli to encourage mathematical discussion in two groups of mathematics teachers at the secondary level. Each event was accompanied by an analysis of mathematics that would be useful to the teacher in such a situation. The Situations, mathematical events and analyses, were used originally to create a framework describing the Mathematical Proficiency for Teaching at the Secondary Level, and then they were used with both Prospective and Practicing teachers to validate the framework. Teachers involved in the validation research claimed that the process was instructional. The process is explained, and teachers’ quotes provide evidence that the experience provoked changes in teachers’ understanding of mathematics. This process, which builds on mathematical events from the classroom, holds potential as a professional development experience that helps teachers expand their expertise in teaching mathematics.

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Acknowledgments

This paper is based on work supported by the National Science Foundation through the Center for Proficiency in Teaching Mathematics under Grant No. 0227586 and the Mid-Atlantic Center for Mathematics Teaching and Learning (Grant Nos. 0083429 and 0426253). Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this paper are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA

    AnnaMarie Conner, Patricia S. Wilson & Hee Jung Kim

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  1. AnnaMarie Conner
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  2. Patricia S. Wilson
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  3. Hee Jung Kim
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Correspondence to AnnaMarie Conner.

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Conner, A., Wilson, P.S. & Kim, H.J. Building on mathematical events in the classroom. ZDM Mathematics Education 43, 979–992 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11858-011-0362-1

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