Opportunities for professional learning about mathematics instruction: the role of joint work in student-teaching triads
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Opportunities for professional learning about mathematics instruction: the role of joint work in student‑teaching triads Gwendolyn M. Lloyd1 · Courtney L. Rice1 · Andrea V. McCloskey1
© Springer Nature B.V. 2019
Abstract This paper reports about professional learning related to mathematics instruction in student-teaching triads. The study focuses on how the joint work of triads offers opportunities for the professional learning of student teachers (interns), mentor teachers, and supervisors. Two elementary student-teaching triads reported different areas of and opportunities for professional learning related to mathematics instruction, with more areas and richer opportunities reported by the triad with more extensive collaboration among its members. Findings suggest the need for professional development activities in which mentors and supervisors can examine their stances toward joint work and professional learning in triads. Keywords Student teaching · Mathematics instruction · Professional learning · Professional development · Teacher education · Teacher collaboration
Introduction Prospective teachers face significant challenges to facilitate classroom activities that offer meaningful opportunities for students to learn mathematics (Charalambous et al. 2011; Stockero and Van Zoest 2012; Towers 2010). An important question is how experiences during teacher preparation, particularly classroom field experiences, can support prospective teachers in developing knowledge and practices needed to enact effective mathematics instruction. Numerous studies in mathematics teacher education have documented student teachers’ experiences and development during internships (e.g., Lloyd 2007, 2008; Cooper and Nesmith 2013; Hallman-Thrasher 2017; Hodges and Hodge 2017; Peterson and Williams 2008; Van Zoest and Bohl 2002), providing rich illustrations of field experiences as contexts with both affordances and constraints for prospective teachers’ learning related to mathematics instruction. Some research suggests that collaborative activities between student teachers and their mentor teachers during field experiences provide authentic and fruitful learning experiences, not only for student teachers but for mentor teachers as well (Peterson and Williams 2008; Van Zoest * Gwendolyn M. Lloyd [email protected] 1
Department of Curriculum and Instruction, Penn State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
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and Bohl 2002). These results raise the additional question of how mentor teachers and university supervisors may also gain opportunities for professional growth during field experiences. The present study contributes to mathematics teacher education research by investigating learning opportunities for prospective teachers, mentor teachers, and supervisors within the collaborative work around mathematics instruction that occurs during student-teaching field experiences. The student-teaching triad, comprised of a student teacher, a mentor teacher, and a university supervisor, is a
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