Skip to main content
Log in

How a Chinese teacher improved classroom teaching in Teaching Research Group: a case study on Pythagoras theorem teaching in Shanghai

  • Original Article
  • Published:
ZDM Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

In China, a school-based teaching research system was built since 1952 and Teaching Research Group (TRG) exists in every school. In the paper, a teacher’s three lessons and the changes in each lesson were described, which might show a track of how lessons were continuously developed in TRG. The Mathematical Tasks Framework, The Task Analysis Guide, and Factors Associated with the Maintenance and the Decline of High-level Cognitive Demands developed in the Quantitative Understanding: Amplifying Student Achievement and Reasoning project (Stein and Smith in Math Teach Middle School 3(4):268–275, 1998; Stein et al. in Implementing stardards-based mathematics instruction. Teachers College Press, NY, pp. 1–33, 2000), were employed in this study. Based on the perspective of Mathematical Task Analysis, changes of three lessons were described and the author provided a snapshot for understanding how a Chinese teacher gradually improved his/her lessons in TRG activities.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8
Fig. 9
Fig. 10
Fig. 11
Fig. 12
Fig. 13
Fig. 14
Fig. 15

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Anderson, L. W., & Pellicer, L. O. (2001). Teacher peer assistance and review: A practical guide for teachers and administrators. California: Corwin Press, Inc.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bao, J. S. (2004). A comparative study on composite difficulty between new and old Chinese mathematics textbooks. In L. Fan, N.-Y. Wong, J. Cai, & S. Li (Eds.), How Chinese learn mathematics (pp. 208–227). Singapore: World Scientific.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dossey, J. A. (1992). The nature of mathematics: Its role and its influence. In D. A. Grouws (Ed.), Handbook of research on mathematics teaching and learning (pp. 39–48). NY: Macmillan.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fan, L. H., & Zhu, Y. (2004). How have Chinese students performed in mathematics? A perspective from large-scale international comparisons. In L. Fan, N.-Y. Wong, J. Cai, & S. Li (Eds.), How Chinese learn mathematics (pp. 3–26). Singapore: World Scientific.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lapointe, A. E., Mead, N. A., & Askew, J. M. (1992). Learning mathematics. Princeton: Educational Testing Service.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lin, R. F., Yan, P. S., & Lin, Y. K. (1999). Tongchai huzhu de guanke wenhua (Observation Culture of Peer Coaching). Hong Kong: Hong Kong Association of Educational Assessment.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lopez-Real, F., Mok, A. C. I., Leung, K. S. F., & Marton, F. (2004). Identifying a patten of teaching: An analysis of a Shanghai Teacher’s Lessons. In L. Fan, N.-Y. Wong, J. Cai, & S. Li (Eds.), How Chinese learn mathematics (pp. 382–412). Singapore: World Scientific.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ma, L. P. (1999). Knowing and teaching elementary mathematics. NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates Publishers.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ministry of Education. (1952). Zhongxue Zanxing Zhangcheng [Secondary school provisional regulation]. Chinese governmental document.

  • Ministry of Education. (1957). Zhongxue Jiaoyanzu Tiaoli (Caoan) [Secondary school teaching research group rulebook (draft)]. Chinese governmental document.

  • Ministry of Education. (2001). Quanrizhi Yiwu Jiaoyu Kecheng Biaozhun (Shiyangao) (National mathematics curriculum standards for compulsory education). Beijing: Beijing Normal University Publishing House.

    Google Scholar 

  • Paine, L. W., & Fang, Y. P. (2006). Reform as hybrid model of teaching and teacher development in China. International Journal of Educational Research, 45, 279–280. doi:10.1016/j.ijer.2007.02.006.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Partners in Change Project. (1997). The partners in change handbook: A professional development curriculum in mathematics (p. 6). Boston: Boston University.

    Google Scholar 

  • Romberg, T. A., & Kaput, J. J. (1999). Mathematics worth teaching, mathematics worth understanding. In E. Fennema & T. A. Romberg (Eds.), Mathematics classrooms that promote understanding (pp. 3–17). NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Inc.

    Google Scholar 

  • Song, N. Q., & Chen, C. M. (1996). Zaitan “danhua xingshi, zhuzhong shizhi”. Shu Xue Jiao Yu Xue Bao, 59(2), 15–18. Re-discussion on desalt appearance and reinforce substance Journal for Mathematics Education.

    Google Scholar 

  • Stein, M. K., & Smith, M. S. (1998). Mathematics tasks as a framework for reflection: From research to practice. Mathematics Teaching in the Middle School, 3(4), 268–275.

    Google Scholar 

  • Stein, M. K., Smith, M. S., Henningsen, M. A., & Silver, E. A. (2000). Implementing stardards-based mathematics instruction (pp. 1–33). NY: Teachers College Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • The State Council. (2001). Guanyu Jichu Jiaoyu Gaige Jueyi [Decision on basic education reform and development]. Chinese governmental document.

  • Tsatsaroni, A., & Evans, J. (1994). Mathematics: The problematical notion of closure. In P. Ernest (Ed.), Mathematics, education and philosophy: An international perspective (pp. 87–108). London: The Falmer Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Uhl, J., & Davis, W. (1999). Is the mathematics we do the mathematics we teach? In E. A. Gavosto, S. G. Krantz, & W. McCallum (Eds.), Contemporary issues in mathematics education (pp. 67–74). NY: Cambridge University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wong, N.-Y. (2004). The CHC learner phenomenon: Its implications on mathematics education. In L. Fan, N.-Y. Wong, J. Cai, & S. Li (Eds.), How Chinese learn mathematics (pp. 503–534). Singapore: World Scientific.

    Google Scholar 

  • Yang, Y. D., & Li, S. Q. (2005). Benyuanxing Wenti Qudong Ketang Jiaoxue. Shu Xue Jiao Yu Xue Bao, 14(2), 59–63. doi:10.3736/jcim20050118. Driving Classroom Teaching by Primitive Mathematical Ideas Journal for Mathematics Education.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zhang, D. Z. (2001). Guanyu shuxue zhishi de jiaoyu xingtai [Educational status on mathematical knowledge]. Shu Xue Tong Bao (Mathematical Bulletin), (5), 2.

  • Zhang, D. Z., Li, S. Q., & Tang, R. F. (2004). The “two basics”: Mathematics teaching and learning in mainland China. In L. Fan, N.-Y. Wong, J. Cai, & S. Li (Eds.), How Chinese learn mathematics (pp. 189–207). Singapore: World Scientific.

    Google Scholar 

  • Zhang, D. Z., & Wang, Z. H. (2002). Guanyu shuxue de xueshu xingtai he jiaoyu xingtai. Shu Xue Jiao Yu Xue Bao, 11(2), 1–4. Educational and academic status on mathematical knowledge Journal for Mathematics Education.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Yudong Yang.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Yang, Y. How a Chinese teacher improved classroom teaching in Teaching Research Group: a case study on Pythagoras theorem teaching in Shanghai. ZDM Mathematics Education 41, 279–296 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11858-009-0171-y

Download citation

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11858-009-0171-y

Keywords

Navigation