Search

This mixed-methods study employed a typological approach and an Expectancy-Value framework to understand nontraditional prospective teachers' motivational beliefs, teaching motivations, and goals for choosing a teaching career. All participants (N=88) were nontraditional prospective teachers, graduate students enrolled in a Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) program in the United States. Data were collected in three phases, including quantitative (survey, pre-and posttest assessments), and qualitative (interviews). Analyses revealed three distinct typologies of teachers based on their motivational beliefs, and further differences among the identified groups based on other variables. The qualitative data showed general themes across participants about their teaching efficacy, motivation for teaching and quality of teacher preparation. Implications for teacher education programs are discussed.

This study is a longitudinal look at the different mathematics placement profiles of Black students and White students from late elementary school through 8th grade. Results revealed that Black students had reduced odds of being placed in algebra by the time they entered 8th grade even after controlling for performance in mathematics. An important implication of this study is that placement recommendations must be monitored to ensure that high-achieving students are placed appropriately, regardless of racial background.

The Common Core math standards promote several important differences in how math concepts are taught and should be talked about. These changes will make it easier for younger students to comprehend and adapt to more complex concepts in the later grades. This guide should help elementary teachers make changes and adaptations that are in line the new Common Core standards.

Student performance in mathematics has been linked to the mathematical knowledge of the teacher. Based on this finding, a 5-day professional development module was created to improve teachers' mathematical knowledge and their understanding of number sense. We found no difference prior to the professional development in mathematical content knowledge for teaching mathematics (CKTM) between special education teachers (at the K-12 level) and general education teachers (K-6). Results revealed that participating teachers made significant gains in mathematical CKTM. Implications and recommendations for professional development in mathematics are provided. (Contains 2 tables and 7 figures.)

This study investigated the extent to which student performance and teacher perception of student performance affect placement in eighth-grade mathematics classes for students with disabilities. Authors used the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study--Kindergarten dataset to investigate how each of the following factors predicted placement in eighth-grade algebra or above: (a) fifth-grade cognitive math performance, (b) fifth-grade teacher rating of student ability, and (c) student enrollment in special education services. When controlling for various student characteristics, including student mathematical performance, students who received special education services had reduced odds of being placed in algebra by the time they entered eighth grade. Teacher evaluations of student performance played a greater role for special education students (particularly those with individualized education programs who had inconsistently demonstrated high performance) than for their typically developing peers. (Contains 7 tables and 4 figures.)

The widely adopted Common Core State Standards for Mathematics (CCSSM) are designed to deepen instruction of number sense and will demand that elementary school teachers have a strong understanding of number. These changes arrive at a time when it is still understood that teachers and the curriculum in the United States have not been fundamentally driven by number sense connections. Teachers, therefore, are faced with the need to reflect on their own instructional choices and to make changes in their classrooms--changes that encourage the development of number sense in their students in keeping with the demands of the CCSSM and that go beyond what they have formerly thought about number. For teachers of young students, the critical components of number sense are quantity, magnitude, numeration, different forms of a number, equality, and the language used to describe them. In this article, the authors discuss concepts that connect to the curriculum and process goals of the CCSSM and also tie directly to the Number and Operations Focal Points for prekindergartners (who should understand that number words refer to quantity) and for kindergartners (who should use numbers, including written numerals, to represent quantities). To help children understand the concrete concept that an abstract orthographic symbol represents, the authors suggest that teachers apply the same strategies they use for teaching background knowledge in reading. (Contains 6 figures.)

At the heart of the recent focus on mathematics has been an increased emphasis on developing students' "number sense." Ironically, although growing as a force in the education literature, number sense has not been clearly defined for teachers. Teachers need specific support in understanding how to develop number sense in students, to guide their learning as they plan for and provide instruction and, ultimately, to ensure that they are spending time encouraging students to do the thinking that will improve number sense. This article discusses "The Components of Number Sense," an instructional model designed to support teachers' efforts to improve their mathematics instruction. This model provides a framework for teachers to think of math as a set of connected principles and to present the math to students in this fashion. (Contains 2 figures.)

This study investigated the extent to which student performance and teacher perception of student performance affect placement in eighth-grade mathematics classes for students with disabilities. Authors used the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study--Kindergarten dataset to investigate how each of the following factors predicted placement in eighth-grade algebra or above: (a) fifth-grade cognitive math performance, (b) fifth-grade teacher rating of student ability, and (c) student enrollment in special education services. When controlling for various student characteristics, including student mathematical performance, students who received special education services had reduced odds of being placed in algebra by the time they entered eighth grade. Teacher evaluations of student performance played a greater role for special education students (particularly those with individualized education programs who had inconsistently demonstrated high performance) than for their typically developing peers., In this era of data-based decision making, it is important to understand whether student performance indicators are driving important placement decisions. This is particularly true for students with disabilities, who [...]