Teacher flexibility in mathematical discussion

The significance of discussion in mathematics classes has been prominently debated in the research literature. Different studies have stressed the importance of teacher flexibility in orchestrating the discussion. We introduce an operational definition of teacher flexibility. In a case study with one secondary-school mathematics teacher, we microanalyzed discussion situations in which the teacher had to change her plan according to unforeseen student replies. The analysis was aimed at characterizing situations in which the teacher was either flexible or inflexible in her interactions with students and describing the factors that affected her flexibility. We suggest four basic patterns of teacher flexibility and discuss the complexity of the factors that shape them.     

Emerging Certifications and Teacher Preparation

Dr. Andersen has worked as a science education professor at Indiana University, Bloomington, since 1966. He has authored six textbooks and over 100 articles on science teacher preparation, science teaching, and science curriculum. He has served as president of the Association for the Education of Teachers in Science, as chair of the Education Section of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, and as a president of the National Science Teachers Association. Among many other honors, he has received the Distinguished Teaching Award at Indiana University and Robert E. Carlton Award for Distinguished National Leadership in Science Education (NSTA).     

Preservice Teacher Beliefs About Proofs

This article describes a study of backgrounds, beliefs, and attitudes of teachers about proofs. Thirty preservice elementary teachers enrolled in a mathematics content course and 21 secondary mathematics teachers in an abstract algebra course were surveyed. The study explored four issues: preservice teachers' experiences/exposure to proof, their beliefs about what constitutes a proof and the role of proof in mathematics, and their beliefs about when proof should be introduced in grades K-12. Results of the survey are described as a means for discussing the backgrounds and beliefs future teachers hold with regard to teaching proofs in their own classrooms. Finally, a short collection of sample explorations and questions, which could be used to encourage the thinking and writing of proofs in grades K-12, is provided. One of these questions was posed to 215 secondary students; examples of their reasoning and a discussion of the various techniques employed by the students are included.     

Teacher Mentoring as a Community Effort

This article presents the findings from a study of a mentoring program for novice mathematics and science teachers, which was provided by their teacher education program. This study reports the findings of interviews with novice math and science teachers, their mentors, and the mentoring program administrators to explore stakeholder perceptions of mentoring support. Findings suggest the importance of using multiple mentoring strategies to develop, support, and retain high‐quality math and science teachers in the teaching profession. This study contributes to what is known about the role that teacher education programs may play in mentoring novice math and science teachers who have graduated from their programs.     

Exploring Diverse Accounts of Teacher Knowledge

This article explores the nature of teacher knowledge as it is portrayed by Schoenfeld's model of teaching. We attempt to situate Schoenfeld's work in the field of teacher knowledge and to elucidate the contribution that he makes to the growing body of research in this area. Towards this end, we explore two related issues. First, we distinguish between claims about the form of teacher knowledge and claims about the content of teacher knowledge. Second, we propose two families of theories of teacher knowledge, where each family shares common phenomena, methods, and theoretical forms. We argue that these two families capture much of the diversity that exists in the literature on teacher knowledge today. Our goal is to begin to develop a theoretical approach that will not only allow us to situate Schoenfeld's research, but that will also help us to compare existing theories with each other.     

追忆我的大学老师华罗庚先生

华罗庚先生离开我们已经25年了.作为他的一个老学生,对60多年前他所给予的种种指导和启发,我仍记忆犹新.谨以此文追忆华罗庚先生在大学任教期间的部分轶闻趣事,以勾勒其非凡的人生阅历、展现其特有的学术风范、彰显其崇高的个人品质.