Transforming Mathematics Teacher Education

This book builds on the Teachers Empowered to Advance Change in Mathematics (TEACH Math) project, which was an initiative that sought to develop a new generation of preK-8 mathematics teachers to connect mathematics, children's mathematical thinking, and community and family knowledge in mathematics instruction - or what we have come to call children's multiple mathematical knowledge bases in mathematics instruction, with an explicit focus on equity. Much of the work involved in the TEACH Math project included the development of three instructional modules for preK-8 mathematics methods courses to support the project's goals. These activities were used and refined over eight semesters, and in Fall 2014 shared at a dissemination conference with other mathematics teacher educators from a variety of universities across the United States. Chapter contributions represent diverse program and geographical contexts and teach prospective and practicing teachers from a variety of socioeconomic and ethnic backgrounds, in particular providing accounts of supports, challenges, and tensions in implementing equity-based mathematics teacher education. The chapters supply rich evidence and illustrative examples of how other mathematics teacher educators and professional developers might make the modules work for their unique practices, courses, workshops, and prospective teachers/teachers. It promises to be an important resource for offering guidance and examples to those working with prospective teachers of mathematics who want to create positive, culturally responsive, and equity-based mathematics experiences for our nation's youth.

This book builds on the Teachers Empowered to Advance Change in Mathematics (TEACH Math) project, which was an initiative that sought to develop a new generation of preK-8 mathematics teachers to connect mathematics, children’s mathematical thinking, and community and family knowledge in mathematics instruction – or what we have come to call children’s multiple mathematical knowledge bases in mathematics instruction, with an explicit focus on equity. Much of the work involved in the TEACH Math project included the development of three instructional modules for preK-8 mathematics methods courses to support the project’s goals. These activities were used and refined over eight semesters, and in Fall 2014 shared at a dissemination conference with other mathematics teacher educators from a variety of universities across the United States. Chapter contributions represent diverse program and geographical contexts and teach prospective and practicing teachers from a variety of socioeconomic and ethnic backgrounds, in particular providing accounts of supports, challenges, and tensions in implementing equity-based mathematics teacher education. The chapters supply rich evidence and illustrative examples of how other mathematics teacher educators and professional developers might make the modules work for their unique practices, courses, workshops, and prospective teachers/teachers. It promises to be an important resource for offering guidance and examples to those working with prospective teachers of mathematics who want to create positive, culturally responsive, and equity-based mathematics experiences for our nation’s youth.

Chapter 1. The Story of the Teachers Empowered to Advance Change in Mathematics Project: Theoretical and Conceptual Foundations.- Chapter 2. Teachers Empowered to Advance Change in Mathematics: Modules for preK-8 Mathematics Methods Courses.- Chapter 3. Preparing to Use the Teachers Empowered to Advance Change in Mathematics Modules: Considerations for Mathematics Teacher Educators.- Chapter 4. Crafting Entry Points for Learning about Children’s Funds of Knowledge: Scaffolding the Community Mathematics Exploration Module for Prospective Teachers.- Chapter 5. Supporting Prospective Urban Teachers to Access Children’s Multiple Mathematical Knowledge Bases: Community Mathematics Explorations 55.- Chapter 6. Prospective Teachers’ Reflections across the Community Mathematics Exploration Module.- Chapter 7. From Community Exploration to Social Justice Mathematics: How do Mathematics Teacher Educators Guide Prospective Teachers to Make the Move?.- Chapter 8. Focusing the Video Lenses Tool toBuild Deeper Understandings of Early Childhood Contexts.- Chapter 9. Integrating Curriculum and Community Spaces.- Chapter 10. Reflecting Back to Move Forward: Using a Mathematics Autobiography to Open Humanizing Learning Spaces for Prospective Mathematics Teachers.- Chapter 11. Preparing Prospective Elementary Mathematics Teachers to Critically Engage in Elementary Mathematics Methods.- Chapter 12. Our Linguistic and Cultural Resources: The Experiences of Bilingual Prospective Teachers with Mathematics Autobiographies 161.