Author: Natalia Judith BaileyPublisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 0
Book Description
Mathematics educators have long been interested in teachers' beliefs about mathematics. Researchers have connected teachers' beliefs with their practices, providing a sound reason for the examination of beliefs of preservice teachers. Unfortunately, researchers have also documented that many elementary preservice teachers have negative attitudes toward mathematics coupled with anxiety and the belief that mathematics is a static collection of disconnected rules. A mathematics content course for preservice teachers is one place in an education program where instructors may have an opportunity to provide activities that may solidify preservice teachers' beliefs about mathematics or provide an opportunity to reexamine their beliefs. However, these opportunities may differ depending on the beliefs of the mathematics content course instructor. In this dissertation, I examine the experiences of preservice teachers in two different sections of a mathematics content course. Using interviews with the course instructors before the course began, classroom observations during the course, and interviews with preservice teachers after the completion of the course I ask how preservice teachers understand their experiences in the course, particularly considering its alignment with their beliefs about mathematics. From this case study, it appears as though the instructors' perspectives of their students influenced classroom interactions, which students report as influencing both their beliefs about mathematics and their beliefs about mathematics teaching. Furthermore, instructors' instructional decisions are interpreted by their students, sometimes in ways unanticipated by the instructor. General recommendations for instruction in mathematics content courses for preservice teachers are provided.
