Teachers’ pedagogies and their impact on students’ mathematical problem solving

This paper examines the classroom practices of three teachers teaching mathematics at the 5th grade level in three Singapore schools. Using a video-coding scheme, a series of lessons was coded into relevant phases comprising problem solving, teaching concepts/skills, going over assigned work, and student activities. It explores the teachers’ pedagogical experimentation in their teaching of mathematical problem solving after an analysis of their current practices. It concludes with a review of the effects such changes have on students’ problem solving successes as reflected in pre- and post-problem-solving tests.