Transforming Mathematics Teacher Education: An Equity-Based Approach

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.

Tonya Gau Bartell is an Associate Professor of Mathematics Education at Michigan State University. Bartell’s research focuses on issues of culture, race, and power in mathematics teaching and learning with particular attention to teachers’ development of mathematics pedagogy for social justice and pedagogy integrating a focus on children’s multiple mathematical knowledge bases. She served as co-chair of the 2015 Annual Meeting of PME-NA from which this book arose, is on the Editorial Board of Mathematics Teacher Education and Development and is a co-editor of the Journal of Teacher Education.

Corey Drake is a Professor in the Department of Teacher Education at Michigan State University and serves as Director of Teacher Preparation. Her work focuses on the preparation of elementary teachers to teach mathematics in diverse contexts. Her current research includes studies of pre-service elementary teachers’ learning from and about the use of mathematics curriculum materials. She also conducts a multi- university investigation of the ways in which elementary mathematics methods courses can be redesigned to support pre-service teachers in learning to integrate children’s mathematical thinking with children’s home and community-based mathematical funds of knowledge.

Amy Roth McDuffie is a Professor in the College of Education at Washington State University. She conducts research on the professional development of prospective and practicing teachers in mathematics education. Specifically, she focuses on supporting teachers learning in and from practice in the areas of teachers’ use of curriculum resources and culturally relevant pedagogies as part of developing equitable instructional practices. Dr. Roth McDuffie regularly teaches methods of teaching mathematics courses for undergraduate prospective teachers. She also teaches masters and doctoral level courses in mathematics education for our EdM program and for our PhD in Mathematics and Science Education.

Julia M. Aguirre is an Associate Professor in the School of Education at the University of Washington Tacoma. Her scholarship and professional development work focuses on mathematics teaching and learning, teacher education and culturally responsive mathematics instruction. Her work actively investigates how children's mathematical thinking, community/cultural funds of knowledge, language and power inform the development of teaching knowledge, beliefs and practice. She is committed to preparing a new generation of elementary and secondary teachers with knowledge and skills to teach rich and rigorous mathematics and engage families and communities to support mathematics teaching and learning. Her goals are to mathematically empower youth, families/communities and teachers to strengthen k-12 mathematics education access, performance and advancement, especially for those historically underrepresented in STEM fields (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics). She has a bachelor's degree in Psychology from University of California Berkeley; Master's degree in Education from University of Chicago; and Ph.D. in Education from the University of California Berkeley. She joined the UWT faculty in 2007.

Erin E. Turner is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Teaching, Learning and Sociocultural Studies at the University of Arizona. Her scholarship focuses on the critically important field of equity and social justice in mathematics education. Specifically, her work examines how mathematics instruction can draw upon children’s multiple mathematical funds of knowledge (e.g., their mathematical thinking, as well as their cultural, linguistic and/or community-based knowledge and experiences) in ways that support mathematical understanding and a sense of agency. Because of her particular interest in the mathematics education of Latino/a students, including those who are English Learners (ELs), she situates her work in the context of predominantly Latino/a communities and schools. Dr. Turner has authored and co-authored numerous publications in these research areas. Her articles have appeared in the top journals of mathematics education, including the Journal for Research In Mathematics Education, Educational Studies In Mathematics, and the International Journal Of Mathematical Thinking And Learning. She has also published in top journals related to bilingual education and Latino/a students, such as Latinos And Education and the Bilingual Research Journal.

Mary Q. Foote is Assistant Professor of Mathematics Education in the Department of Elementary and Early Childhood Education at Queens College. Her research interests fall broadly within issues of mathematics teacher education, cultural and community knowledge and practices, and how they might inform mathematics teaching practice.