Math Teachers' Circles: The Effects of a Professional Development Community on Mathematics Teachers' Identities
Year: 2016
Type: article
Abstract: Math Teachers' Circles are content-focused professional development for K-12 mathematics teachers that engage teachers and mathematicians in intensive, collaborative problem solving.Typically, Math Teachers' Circles begin with a weeklong summer immersion workshop.This study explored the effects of participation in such professional development on elementary and middle school teachers' mathematical identities, their mathematics teaching identities, and the interaction of these identities.This investigation used an explanatory multiple-case study methodology.Extreme cases were identified from first-time participants at three Math Teachers' Circle sites across the United States.Shifts in these teachers' identities were explored through openended interviews, pre-and post-workshop surveys, and written reflections.Teachers' identities were understood as the extent to which the teachers' personal identities aligned with the normative identity of the Math Teachers' Circle.The teachers' mathematical identities evolved most significantly as a result of their participation.During the immersion workshop, the teachers found that perseverance and collaboration assisted in their success at solving challenging and open-ended mathematics problems, and their confidence and motivation increased over the week.As a result, teachers' sense
Author: Katie A. Hendrickson
Institution: Ohio University
Language: English
Subfield: Education
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
SDG: Quality education
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W2604601262