Using Written Reflection To Identify Preservice Teachers' Active Instructional Knowledge during Mathematics Mentoring.

This study examined the use of written reflection to investigate student teachers' active instructional knowledge during mathematics mentoring. Participants were 30 preservice teachers in a Science/Math Integration methods course. They participated in Community Mathematics project field experiences, which occurred prior to the full student teaching placement. The project involved weekly mentoring at a local public middle school to help fifth graders develop an appreciation of real mathematics. Student teachers were required to reflect upon their mentoring episodes by completing the After-Mentoring Reflection Form. The form asked about things that went well and things that went differently during the session, how successful students were in completing session objectives, changes they would recommend to improve the session, and what they learned that would impact their future teaching. Most preservice teachers' attitudes and levels of expectations changed with each successive mentoring session. Their statements characterized such issues as instructional preparedness, instructional practice, classroom techniques, student participation, student motivation, and numerous others. The study suggests that the formal reflection form is a useful way to identify prospective teachers' beginning pedagogical and epistemological perceptions. (Contains 13 bibliographic references.) (SM)