By day, I teach an Algebra I class to high school freshmen in Springfield, Missouri. I teach one night a week through Reach University to elementary pre-service teachers who work as paraprofessionals in K-12 schools in Louisiana, Arkansas, Alabama, and California. Reach University provides adults who work in schools and other workplaces with Opportunity to earn a unique bachelor’s degree with consideration for work experience As part of the learning process. After earning this degree and passing a certification exam required by some states, candidates are eligible to teach.
The 9th graders in my class and the pre-service teachers I teach have one thing in common. It’s that math isn’t necessarily easy for them, and that learning math is a challenge for many people in both groups.
In my career as an educator over the past 20 years, I have never heard my 9th grade students or their previous teachers say things like, “I was never good at math,” or “I’m not good at math.” I asked. As a confirmation, research result Adult learners self-report lower mathematics self-efficacy and higher mathematics anxiety than traditional undergraduate students. These findings further exacerbate the challenge of training math-confident educators as our nation works toward solutions. unfinished math learning All the way from kindergarten to high school due to the pandemic.
As a practicing professor whose goal is to prepare in-service teachers to lead their own classrooms, I hope that these in-service teachers have a good understanding of the mathematics content and feel prepared to teach mathematics to their students. What should I do?
My answer is 15 immersive credit hours of math. Over the course of 15 weeks, there is an intentional focus on learning mathematics content through a mathematics reasoning course tailored to what new teachers see in class. Praxis Elementary Education: Mathematics Subtest 5003explore mathematics pedagogy through the Mathematics Methods course, and practice mathematics teaching strategies with students in paraprofessional work through the Mathematics Placement course.
A typical semester for a future math teacher
A standard mathematics semester for pre-service teacher candidates includes three key elements that enhance learning. It focuses on building mathematical mindsets, developing a sense of belonging beyond mathematics, and the connections between learning mathematics content, exploring mathematics pedagogy, and implementing teaching strategies. .
The first important element is a focus on mathematical thinking.Preservice teachers begin the semester thinking about what it means to think like a mathematician and what it means to explore Mathematics classroom norms Created by Joe Bohler, Professor of Mathematics Education at Stanford University. Bohler argues: “Anyone can learn math to a high level. Mistakes are valuable. Mathematics is about creativity, making sense, connections, and communication.” We sometimes review these norms and decide what resonates based on the topic of the day.
Second, pre-service teachers need to feel a sense of connection and belonging. Adult learners often lack confidence in learning mathematics. Many report feeling anxious about taking math classes because they have not been a student for several years. Focusing on connectedness and a sense of belonging in relation to learning mathematics can help increase self-efficacy. To begin each class, I ask a check-in question that has nothing to do with math.
- What is bringing you joy right now?
- If you could travel back in time five years, what would you say to yourself?
- Please tell us how you are currently managing your workload.
A virtual math reasoning course allows pre-service teachers to respond via chat and share their thoughts orally. This part of the class is often well received. In a recent survey, one pre-service teacher wrote, “I love the initial check-in, but not all professors care about your well-being.”
Finally, as a Department of Mathematics, we have intentionally created engaging lessons in our Mathematical Methods and Mathematics Placement courses that directly relate to what students are learning in their Mathematical Reasoning courses during the same semester. Mathematics teachers need to have a deep understanding of mathematics content and teach mathematics effectively. That’s why I strongly believe that in-service teachers need to learn mathematics.
In our classes, preservice teachers do math individually, develop their own reasoning, think and discuss in small groups to compare strategies, and then discuss as a whole group to clarify their thinking. I’ll make it. New teachers in our class appreciate having the opportunity to discuss their ideas and analyze the work of their classmates, leading to the conclusion that mathematical problems can be solved in various creative ways. I am evaluating it.
In the two and a half years since I started teaching at Reach, I have seen the tremendous impact this series of mathematics courses has had on the in-service teachers in my classroom. They spend his 15 weeks thinking deeply about understanding mathematics content while considering what it means to be an effective mathematics teacher.
I’ve watched them change their thinking about what it means to be a mathematician. Rather than declaring that they are not good at math, by the end of the semester they are confident in their math skills and have honed their ability to teach math to students.
What pre-service math teachers need
My experience as a high school teacher and college professor has led me to three conclusions about preparing in-service teachers to teach mathematics.
- Belonging is important in math classes. In-service teachers need to feel a sense of belonging in mathematics classes, even if they have not been successful in mathematics classes in the past. When students feel connected to each other and their professors, walls come down and they are able to tackle the difficult task of learning math. Even as adults, knowing that others care about you can help you learn and feel safe.
- Mathematics discourses influence what and how pre-service teachers learn. Talking about mathematics brings new perspectives. Preservice teachers in my class are able to develop their own reasoning, justify their own ideas, and criticize the reasoning of others. Communication about mathematics helps test takers compare strategies, expand their thinking and create their own questions. Discourse also reveals misconceptions. They make mistakes, but they realize that those mistakes are learning tools.
- To deepen understanding and learning, professors must find ways to engage students in thinking. Learning mathematics requires time and space to think critically about connections between concepts. Mathematical Reasoning classes use a variety of websites that allow students to do math, discuss their ideas, and ask questions in a virtual environment. Desmos, peer deck and nearpod Both have effective ways to increase engagement beyond virtual lectures. We need to increase opportunities for students to think, not just imitate math lessons.
Mathematics is difficult. Teaching mathematics is even more difficult. Yet, at the end of the semester, the in-service teacher candidates in my class felt much more empowered to teach mathematics. Our schools desperately need more math teachers. As we have learned through this semester-long mathematics learning course, allowing students to leave a teacher preparation program believing in themselves helps prepare new teachers to meet the needs of their students. Because of my ability to teach mathematics, I have ample opportunity to discuss my thinking and be intentional about focusing on mathematics content and pedagogy at the same time.
When I think about what it means to have a teacher who is a master of mathematics content and an effective practitioner leading the classroom, I can’t help but think about the positive impact it has on students, like the new students in my algebra class. yeah. Having teachers who foster a sense of belonging and identity in math classrooms will make a significant and lasting difference in students’ lives. Many more students will proudly declare that they are math people, ready to think critically, and capable of meeting challenges wherever life takes them after high school.
