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In this article the development of two teachers as they make the transition from pre-service teachers to experienced teachers is examined. While these teachers participated in the same mathematics methods course and similar collaborative environments in their practicum experiences, their mathematics classroom instructional practices revealed stark differences by the time they were experienced teachers. In an effort to investigate these differences, the teachers' beliefs were explored in relation to those promoted in their pre-service course and in relation to their implementation of current mathematics education reform practices. Interview Protocols are appended. (Contains 1 table and 2 figures.)

In this paper, we draw on Wenger's (1998) conception of communities of practice to observe the emergence of a community of practice among middle grades mathematics teachers who participated in a two-year blended-format (online synchronous, online asynchronous, and face to face) professional development program designed to increase middle-grades mathematics teachers' content and pedagogical content knowledge, as well as foster the evolution of local communities of practices. Results indicate that the professional development program supported the development of a community of practice among a subset of participating teachers, while others failed to develop what constitutes a community of practice. Issues related to professional development design in light of these findings are discussed.

The increased popularity of lesson study in the United States--an approach to professional development initiated in Japan more than a century ago--is due in large part to findings from the 1995 Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) video study and the subsequent book, "The Teaching Gap" (Stigler and Hiebert 1999). "Lesson study" refers to a classroom-based form of professional development consisting of a four-step cycle. Applying the lesson study model to professional development can impact classroom teachers and teacher educators who design professional development experiences for other teachers. Lesson study is not just about improving a single lesson, it's about building pathways for ongoing improvement of instruction. The authors engaged in a lesson study when designing a professional development workshop for classes with both in-service and preservice teachers. The goal was for teachers to reflect on how their own lessons develop students' understanding of mathematics. Specifically, the authors wanted teachers to think about the tasks and discourse promoted by various textbooks. Using the lesson study cycle, the authors looked at research, which they used to guide the design of a lesson. Then they implemented the lesson study in three settings: (1) a professional development meeting for in-service teachers; (2) a graduate-level mathematics education course; and (3) a preservice elementary mathematics education course. Each author led at least one session and observed the other two. After each professional development experience, they met to discuss what they perceived to be the strengths and weaknesses of the session. These debriefing meetings focused on what the participants had said and done during the workshop. After each debriefing, the authors revised the lesson before teaching it in subsequent settings. In this article, they describe their experience. (Contains 2 figures.)

Three widely used sixth-grade textbooks were studied to see how fraction concepts were represented. The textbooks selected were "Connected Mathematics," "Middle Grades MathThematics," and Glencoe's "Mathematics: Applications and Concepts Course 1." Three specific areas were examined: representation mode, model, and problem context. Results of the findings as well as classroom implications are explored. (Contains 6 tables.)

This article describes the author's struggles, journey, and resolve to reform her teaching practice to align with her beliefs about teaching and learning mathematics. (Contains 6 figures.)

This study considered middle school mathematics teachers use of rubrics to score non-traditional tasks. A group of eighth-grade teachers attended a two-day workshop where they evaluated assessment tasks and discussed the use of an associated scoring rubric. Scored samples of student work submitted by the teachers indicated that they had difficulty using the rubrics for scoring. When compared to expert ratings, all except one teacher had discrepancies in scoring and some discrepancies indicated major problems. These discrepancies appear to be related to whether the task contained familiar or unfamiliar content and the mix of procedure and explanation the task required. Several other factors related to discrepancies, such as leniency errors, teacher knowledge, and the halo effect are also discussed. With the expanded use of rubrics in many arenas, these results show the need for more professional development related to rubric use.

This longitudinal study documents the development of mathematics teachers as they make the transition from preservice to experienced teachers. Collaborative learning environments were created for these teachers in their field-based classrooms during their last year in the teacher-education program. The authors anticipated that these learning environments would prepare more effective novice teachers. A comparison of baseline data with end-of-project data indicated that the participants' beliefs about the teaching and learning of mathematics, as well as their epistemological views, had changed; however, many participants did not base their instructional decisions on a careful analysis of their students' thinking processes. A follow-up study revealed a more accurate picture of the change in participants' beliefs and practices, as some of them, now experienced teachers, exceeded project expectations and had become effective teachers. Factors that either hindered or contributed to the development of teachers' practice are also identified. (Contains 2 tables and 2 figures.)

The article describes a mathematical activity for middle school students in which they will determine whether actor Tom Cruise or Tom Hanks have a better career for the last thirty years.

The article presents creative solutions to answer a middle school mathematical problem. Various representations were used by students to model the problem, including pictures, symbols, and numerical reasoning. Examples are provided of works from students that exemplify the differences in the methods used to solve the problem. Accounts from several mathematics teachers about the mathematics problem are included.

In order to help children gain a more robust understanding of place value, teachers must understand the connections and relationships among the related concepts as well as possess knowledge of how children learn early number concepts. Unfortunately, teachers’ familiarity with the base-ten number system and/or lack of an understanding of multidigit whole numbers leads to instruction that encourages a superficial understanding of the concepts of our base-ten system rather than instruction that pushes students to go beyond recitation of the value of the digit in the ten's place. This study highlights the attempts of three mathematics educators in reconceptualizing and impacting teachers’ understanding of place value concepts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The authors focused on 1 middle-grades mathematics teacher's identity and her efforts to implement standards-based instructional practices. As professionals, teachers participate in multiple professional communities and must negotiate and manage conflicting agendas. The authors analyze how the contexts of these communities influence the teacher's identity and thus her teaching of mathematics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]