During the day, I teach Algebra I to high school freshmen in Springfield, Missouri. One night a week, I teach preservice elementary school teachers who serve as paraprofessionals in K-12 schools in Louisiana, Arkansas, Alabama, and California through Reach University. Reach University offers adults employed in schools and other workplaces the opportunity to earn a unique bachelor's degree that encompasses work experience as part of the learning process. After earning this degree and passing certification tests required by some states, candidates are qualified to teach.
The ninth graders in my classes and the student teachers I teach have one thing in common: math hasn't always come easy to them, and for many in both groups, learning math can be overwhelming.
Over the past 20 years of my educational career, I have heard my ninth graders and future teachers say things like, “I've never been good at math” and “I'm not a math person.” Confirming, studies show that adult students report lower levels of mathematics self-efficacy and higher levels of mathematics anxiety than traditional college students. These findings further exacerbate the challenge of developing mathematics-confident educators as our nation works to address unfinished math learning during K-12 due to the pandemic.
As a teacher of practice whose goal is to prepare preservice teachers to lead their own classrooms, how can I ensure that these preservice teachers are well versed in mathematics content and feel equipped and prepared to teach mathematics to students?
My answer: an immersive 15-credit hour math semester. During the 15 weeks, there is an intentional focus on learning mathematics content through a mathematical reasoning course aligned with the content that future teachers will see in the Praxis Primary Education: Mathematics Subtest 5003exploring mathematics pedagogy through a mathematical methods course and practicing mathematics teaching strategies with students in their jobs as paraprofessionals through a mathematics placement course.
A typical semester for future mathematics teachers
A standard mathematics semester for preservice teacher candidates includes three key components that enhance their learning: developing a mathematical mindset, forming a sense of belonging that extends beyond mathematics, and focusing on the connection between learning mathematical content. , the exploration of mathematical pedagogy and the practice of teaching strategies. .
The first key component is focusing on a mathematical mindset. Preservice teachers begin the semester by considering what it means to think like a mathematician and exploring math classroom rules created by Jo Boaler, professor of mathematics education at Stanford University. As Boaler states, “everyone can learn mathematics at high levels. Mistakes are valuable. “Mathematics is about creativity, meaning, connections and communication.” Student teachers review these standards at the beginning of each class and determine what works best for them based on the topic of the day.
Second, future teachers need to feel a sense of connection and belonging. Adult learners often have little self-confidence when learning mathematics; many have not been students for several years and report feeling anxious about taking a math class. Focusing on connection and belonging helps increase your self-efficacy when it comes to learning mathematics. To start each class, I ask a control question that has nothing to do with math:
- What brings you joy right now?
- If you could travel back in time five years, what would you tell yourself?
- How would you describe how you are managing your workload right now?
In our virtual mathematical reasoning course, future teachers can respond in chat or share their thoughts verbally. I often get rave reviews about this part of the class. In a recent survey, one prospective teacher wrote, “I love the initial check-ins, not all teachers care about your well-being.”
Finally, as a mathematics department, we have intentionally created engaging lessons in mathematical methods and mathematics placement courses that are directly connected to what students are learning in the mathematical reasoning course during the same semester. Mathematics teachers must have a deep understanding of mathematical content and teach mathematics effectively. For that reason, I firmly believe that for future teachers to learn mathematics, they must.
In our classes, student teachers do math individually so they can develop their own reasoning, think and discuss in small groups to compare strategies, and then participate in whole group discussions where their thinking is illuminated. Future teachers of our classes appreciate having opportunities to discuss their own ideas and analyze the work of their peers, leading them to conclude that mathematical problems can be solved in different and creative ways.
Over the past two and a half years since I began teaching at Reach, I have seen this sequence of mathematics courses have a tremendous impact on the future teachers of our classes. They spend 15 weeks thinking deeply about how to understand mathematics content while considering what it means to be an effective mathematics teacher.
I have seen them transform the way they think about what it means to be a mathematician. Instead of declaring that they are not experts in mathematics, at the end of the semester they feel more confident in their mathematics abilities and have improved their ability to teach mathematics to students.
What pre-service mathematics teachers need
My experience as a high school teacher and university professor has led me to three conclusions about preparing future teachers to teach mathematics:
- Belonging matters in math class. Future teachers need to feel a sense of belonging in the mathematics classroom, even if they have not been successful at it in the past. When students feel connected to each other and to the teacher, the walls come down and they can engage in the challenging work of learning mathematics. Even as adults, knowing that others care about them helps them feel comfortable enough to learn.
- Mathematical discourse influences what and how future teachers learn. Talking about mathematics opens new perspectives. The future teachers in my class develop their own reasoning, justify their thinking, and criticize the reasoning of others. Communicating about mathematics helps candidates compare strategies, expand their thinking, and develop their own questions. The speech also reveals misconceptions; They make mistakes and realize that their mistakes are tools for learning.
- To deepen understanding and learning, teachers must find ways to engage students in thinking. Learning mathematics requires that you be allowed the time and space to think critically about the connections between concepts. During our mathematical reasoning classes, we use several websites where students in our virtual environment can do calculations, discuss their thoughts, and ask questions. desmos, Peardeck and Close to the capsule Everyone has effective ways to increase engagement beyond conferences in a virtual environment. We must increase opportunities to think, not just imitate in math class.
Mathematics are difficult. Teaching mathematics is even more difficult. However, at the end of the semester, the student teacher candidates in my classes feel much more qualified to teach mathematics. Our schools desperately need more math teachers, and as we've learned by implementing this semester-long math learning course, we can prepare future teachers to meet student needs by ensuring they leave teacher preparation programs believing in themselves. Their ability to teach mathematics provides them with ample opportunities to discuss their thinking and be intentional about helping them focus on mathematical content and pedagogy simultaneously.
When I consider the implications of classrooms being led by teachers who are proficient in mathematical content and are effective professionals, I can't help but think of the positive impact on students like the freshmen in my algebra classes. Having teachers who foster a sense of belonging and identity in the mathematics classroom would make a significant and lasting difference in students' lives. Many more students would be proud to declare that they are math-savvy, prepared to think critically, and able to meet challenges wherever life after high school takes them.
