This article shares a paper presented as the keynote for the Terry L. Wood Memorial Conference that was held virtually on May 20, 2022. This paper starts with a reference to the project, The Coordination of a Psychological and Sociological Perspective, that was funded by the Spencer Foundation. The results of the research in this project are published in the book, The Emergence of Mathematical Meaning, edited by Cobb and Bauersfeld (1995). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Mathematics teachers across the Western world are faced with an expectation that they make significant change to their teaching, but repeated attempts have shown little embedded success. This paper draws on a longitudinal study of two apparently well-placed English mathematics departments attempting to make change aligned with both policy and internationally-valued ‘good practice’. It suggests deep teacher change draws on a wide range of both social and affective characteristics, as well as sophisticated professional skills and knowledge. The study supports a construct of ‘(mathematics) teacher capacity for change’ at both individual and group levels within teachers’ ‘personal domains’, synthesising the range of characteristics apparently needed by teachers in times of change. In particular, it argues for the development of dispositions for collaborative learning and of other learning-supportive affects. Such an approach has the potential to place teachers in a better position to respond to demanding aspirations. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]