Abstract
This paper examines the anecdotal claim of “Not enough time” made by teachers when expressing their struggle to cover a stipulated syllabus. The study focuses on the actual experiences of a teacher teaching mathematics to a Year 7 class in Singapore according to a designated time schedule. The demands of fulfilling multiple instructional goals within a limited time frame gave rise to numerous junctures where time pressure was felt. The interactions between ongoing time consciousness and instructional decisions will be discussed. An examination of the role played by instructional goals sheds light on the nature and causes of time pressure situations.
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Notes
Post hoc analysis of my decision-making processes at various junctures of the lesson may reveal interesting alternatives based on different conceptions of the teaching-learning dynamic. However, this study is about analysing teaching goals that are carried out in the moment-by-moment improvisations of actual practice. A discussion on alternative ways to carry out these goals is thus beyond the scope of this study.
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Leong, Y.H., Chick, H.L. Time pressure and instructional choices when teaching mathematics. Math Ed Res J 23, 347–362 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13394-011-0019-y
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13394-011-0019-y