Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Exploring relationships among teacher change and uses of contexts

  • Original Article
  • Published:
Mathematics Education Research Journal Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The three middle level mathematics teachers in this set of case studies were engaged in a longitudinal professional development program that sought to impact teaching practices through increasing participants’ mathematical knowledge for teaching. This study investigates how teachers use the contexts in which their teaching practices are situated. Data collected include multiple classroom observations, videotapes, and interviews. The roles of contextual elements in the three teachers’ teaching practices vary greatly, influenced by teachers’ knowledge and beliefs. The realities of contexts were less important than how teachers chose to use those contexts. These cases specifically illuminate the complexities in teachers’ uses of school structure, professional development, curriculum, testing policies, principal expectations, community expectations, and extra-curricular activities. For the three teachers in this study, the roles of contextual elements in their teaching practices varied greatly; such roles are influenced by teachers’ knowledge and beliefs. While much of this analysis is specific to mathematics, some teaching practices transcend mathematics and thus be interesting to a wide audience.

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

Access this article

Log in via an institution

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

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3

Similar content being viewed by others

Notes

  1. For a research study of a Cohort 2 teacher in her second year, see Rolle (2008).

  2. All names are pseudonyms.

  3. Looping in this context means the teacher teaches the same students across multiple years. In Mrs. Zatechka’s school, teachers typically looped with students in a subject (e.g., mathematics) across 3 years. By changing from teaching 4th–6th grades to 7th–9th grades, Mrs. Zatechka was thus in a 6-year loop with her mathematics students.

  4. During the 2006–2007 school year, when Ms. Lamb implemented an action research project in her classroom as part of the requirements of the M2, she was met with vocal parent protests over the changes she tried to make to homework.

Abbreviations

Math in the Middle:

M2

References

  • Augustine, N. R., et al. (2010). Rising above the gathering storm, revisited: Rapidly approaching category 5. Washington: National Academies Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ball, D. L., & Bass, H. (2003). Toward a practice-based theory of mathematical knowledge for teaching. In B. Davis & E. Simmt (Eds.), Proceedings of the 2002 annual meeting of the Canadian mathematics education study group (pp. 3–14). Edmonton, AB: CMESG/GCEDM.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ball, D. L., Lubienski, S. T., & Mewborn, D. (2001). Research on teaching mathematics: The unsolved problem of teachers’ mathematical knowledge. In V. Richardson (Ed.), Handbook of research on teaching (4th ed.). New York: Macmillan.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ball, D. L., Thames, M. H., & Phelps, G. (2008). Content knowledge for teaching: what makes it special? Journal of Teacher Education, 59(5), 389–407.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Boaler, J., & Humphreys, C. (2005). Connecting mathematical ideas: Middle school video cases to support teaching and learning. Portsmouth: Heinemann.

    Google Scholar 

  • Chaiklin, S., & Lave, J. (Eds.). (1993). Understanding practice: Perspectives on activity and context. New York: Cambridge University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cochran-Smith, M., & Lytle, S. (2009). Inquiry as stance. New York: Teachers College Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cohen, D. K. (1990). A revolution in one classroom: The case of Mrs. Oublier. Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis, 12(3), 311–329.

    Google Scholar 

  • Deci, E. L., & Ryan, R. M. (2000). The “what” and “why” of goal pursuits: human needs and the self-determination of behavior. Psychological Inquiry, 11(4), 227–268.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • DuFour, R. (2001). In the right context. Journal of Staff Development, 22(1), 14–17.

    Google Scholar 

  • Flores, M. A., & Day, D. (2006). Contexts which shape and reshape new teachers’ identities: a multi-perspective study. Teaching and Teacher Education, 22, 219–232.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Friel, S., Rachlin, S., & Doyle, D. (2001). Navigating through algebra in grades 6–8. Reston: The National Council of Teachers of Mathematics.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fullan, M. G. (1993). Change forces: Probing the depths of educational reform. London: Falmer Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fullan, M. G. (2001). The new meaning of educational change (3rd ed.). New York: Teachers College Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Glaser, B. G., & Strauss, A. L. (1967/2007). The discovery of grounded theory: Strategies for qualitative research (4th ed.). New Brunswick: Adline Transaction.

    Google Scholar 

  • Goldsmith, L. T., & Schifter, D. (1997). Understanding teachers in transition: Characteristics of a model for the development of mathematics teaching. In E. Fennema & B. S. Nelson (Eds.), Mathematics teachers in transition (pp. 19–54). Mahwah: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hadjioannou, X. (2007). Bringing the background to the foreground: what do classroom environments that support authentic discussions look like? American Educational Research Journal, 44(2), 370–399.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hargreaves, A. (2005). Educational change takes ages: life, career and generational factors in teachers’ emotional responses to educational change. Teaching & Teacher Education: An International Journal of Research and Studies, 21(8), 967–983.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Heaton, R. M., Lewis, W. J., Homp, M. R., Dunbar, S. R., & Smith, W. M. (2012a). Challenging and rigorous yet accessible and relevant mathematics courses for middle level teachers. MAA Notes Series, forthcoming.

  • Heaton, R. M., Lewis, W. J., & Smith, W. M. (2012b). The Math in the Middle Institute: Strengthening middle level teachers’ mathematical and pedagogical capacities. MAA Notes Series, forthcoming.

  • Hill, H. C., Schilling, S. G., & Ball, D. L. (2004). Developing measures of teachers’ mathematics knowledge for teaching. The Elementary School Journal, 105(1), 11–30.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Janvier, C. (1987). Problems of representation in the teaching and learning of mathematics. Hillsdale: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jones, D. (1997). A conceptual framework for studying the relevance of context to mathematics teachers’ change. In E. Fennema & B. S. Nelson (Eds.), Mathematics teachers in transition (pp. 131–154). Mahwah: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lampert, M., & Blunk, M. L. (1998). Talking mathematics in school: Studies of learning and teaching. Cambridge: University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mishra, P., & Koehler, M. J. (2006). Technological pedagogical content knowledge: a framework for teacher knowledge. Teachers College Record, 108, 1017–1054.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • National Council of Teachers of Mathematics. (2000). Principles and standards for school mathematics. Reston: Author.

    Google Scholar 

  • Nelson, B. S., Warfield, J., & Wood, T. (2001). Introduction. In T. Wood, B. S. Nelson, & J. Warfield (Eds.), Beyond classical pedagogy: Teaching elementary school mathematics (pp. 1–26). Mahwah: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.

    Google Scholar 

  • Niess, M. L. (2005). Preparing teachers to teach science and mathematics with technology: developing a technology pedagogical content knowledge. Teaching and Teacher Education, 21, 509–523.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Peterson, P. L. (1990). Doing more in the same amount of time: Cathy Swift. Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis, 12(3), 261–280.

    Google Scholar 

  • Polly, D. (2011). Teachers’ learning while constructing technology-based instructional resources. British Journal of Educational Technology, 42, 950–961.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ried, D., & Zack, V. (2010a). Observing the process of mathematics teacher change—part 1. Journal of Math Teacher Education. doi:10.1007/s10857-010-9158-4.

  • Ried, D., & Zack, V. (2010b). Observing the process of mathematics teacher change—part 2. Journal of Math Teacher Education. doi:10.1007/s10857-010-9165-5.

  • Rolle, Y. A. (2008). Habits of practice: a qualitative case study of a middle-school mathematics teacher. Unpublished doctoral dissertation, [location blinded for review]

  • Schifter, D. (1996). What’s happening in math class? Envisioning new practices through teacher narratives, Vol. 1. New York: Teachers College Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Schön, D. A. (1987). Educating the reflective practitioner: Toward a new design for teaching and learning in the professions. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

    Google Scholar 

  • Shulman, L. (1987). Knowledge and teaching. Foundations of the new reform. Harvard Educational Review, 57, 1–28.

    Google Scholar 

  • Silver, E. A., & Herbst, P. G. (2007). Putting philosophy to work: Coping with multiple theoretical perspectives. In F. K. Lester Jr. (Ed.), Second handbook of research on mathematics teaching and learning (pp. 39–67). Charlotte: Information Age Publishing.

    Google Scholar 

  • Simon, M. A. (1997). Developing new models of mathematics teaching: An imperative for research on mathematics teacher development. In E. Fennema & B. S. Nelson (Eds.), Mathematics teachers in transition (pp. 55–86). Mahwah: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.

    Google Scholar 

  • Simon, M. A., & Tzur, R. (2004). Explicating the role of mathematical tasks in conceptual learning: an elaboration of the hypothetical learning trajectory. Mathematical Thinking and Learning, 6(2), 91–104.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Smith, W. M. (2008). Exploring how three middle level mathematics teachers use their experiences in an ambitious professional development program. Unpublished doctoral dissertation, Lincoln, NE, USA.

  • Stake, R. E. (1995). The art of case study research. Thousand Oaks: Sage Publications.

    Google Scholar 

  • Stigler, J. W., & Hiebert, J. (1999). The teaching gap. New York: Free Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Stigler, J. W., & Hiebert, J. (2004). Improving mathematics teaching. Educational Leadership, 61(5), 12–17.

    Google Scholar 

  • Swidler, S. A. (2004). Naturally small: Teaching and learning in the last one-teacher schools. Greenwich: Information Age Publishing.

    Google Scholar 

  • Thompson, A. G. (1984). The relationship of teachers’ conceptions of mathematics and mathematics teaching to instructional practice. Educational Studies in Mathematics, 15, 105–127.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tubbs, N. (2000). From reflective practitioner to comprehensive teacher. Educational Action Research, 8(1), 167–178.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Voogt, J., Fisser, P., Pareia Roblin, N., Tondeur, J., & van Braak, J. (2012). Technological pedagogical content knowledge: a review of the literature. Journal of Computer Assisted Learning, 28. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2729.2012.00487.x.

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE, USA

    Wendy M. Smith

Authors
  1. Wendy M. Smith
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Wendy M. Smith.

Additional information

The author acknowledges the support of the National Science Foundation (EHR-0412502) in doing, studying and writing about the professional development project described in this article. All ideas expressed in this paper are the author’s and do not reflect the views of the funding agency. An earlier version of this paper was presented at the Annual Meeting of the American Educational Research Association, San Diego, April 2009.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Smith, W.M. Exploring relationships among teacher change and uses of contexts. Math Ed Res J 24, 301–321 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13394-012-0053-4

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13394-012-0053-4

Keywords

Search

Navigation