Journal Issue
Journal Issue
Deanna Pecaski McLennan
This article describes how fortuitous mathematical moments should be noticed, encouraged, embraced, and capitalized upon.
Douglas H. Clements, Shannon S. Guss, and Julie Sarama
Learning trajectories help teachers challenge children at just the right level for their best learning.
Crystal M. Watson
Ear to the Ground features voices from serveral corners of the mathematics education world.
Kathleen Melhuish, Eva Thanheiser, Alexander White, Brenda Rosencrans, J. Michael Shaughnessy, Linda Foreman, Andrew Riffel, and Layla Guyot
This article contributes to the larger narrative around what makes a mathematics professional development (PD) successful and in what ways. We share a research-based PD model that was implemented in elementary schools in an urban school district for 3 years. The model uses a pseudo lesson study approach and emphasizes standards-based instruction. We found that teachers made gains in knowledge and instruction quality. However, whereas some students saw gains on standardized assessments, this was the case only for students who were not members of historically minoritized groups (Black/Latino), countering our assumptions that the PD would lead to equitable achievement results. We conclude with a discussion of how a colorblind approach to PD may account for the inequitable results.
Katherine Baker, Scott A. Morrison, and Mirella F. Cisneros Perez
Integrating mathematics and nature offers students benefits for physical and mental health and enriches their learning.
S. Asli Özgün-Koca and Monica G. McLeod
Growing Problem Solvers provides four original, related, classroom-ready mathematical tasks, one for each grade band. Together, these tasks illustrate the trajectory of learners’ growth as problem solvers across their years of school mathematics.
Michele B. Carney, Jonathan Bostic, Erin Krupa, and Jeff Shih
This Research Commentary addresses the need for an instrument abstract—termed an Interpretation and Use Statement (IUS)—to be included when mathematics educators present instruments for use by others in journal articles and other communication venues (e.g., websites and administration manuals). We begin with presenting the need for IUSs, including the importance of a focus on interpretation and use. We then propose a set of elements—identified by a group of mathematics education researchers, instrument developers, and psychometricians—to be included in the IUS. We describe the development process, the recommended elements for inclusion, and two example IUSs. Last, we present why IUSs have the potential to benefit end users and the field of mathematics education.
Julien Corven, Joseph DiNapoli, Laura Willoughby, and James Hiebert
We investigated how the time elementary preservice teachers (PSTs) spent studying certain mathematics topics during teacher education coursework was related to performance on teaching-related tasks administered after graduation. In two studies, participants completed tasks assessing their specialized content knowledge (SCK) for teaching 12 mathematical topics addressed to varying degrees in the preparation program. We found that instructional time was positively associated with SCK demonstrated both immediately postgraduation and 2 years later. Several possible confounding factors were assessed; one, entering PSTs’ average SCK for topics, appeared to influence the relationship. Accounting for professional learning postgraduation, such as attending professional development, did not change the underlying relationship. Considering these findings, we identify policy implications for the mathematics curriculum of PST education.
