Exploring math teachers' own classroom experiences with deciding how to respond in the moment to student understanding

Buchanan, Cherigale White The math education community has made strides in understanding how math teachers help students develop a conceptual understanding of math ideas. In-the-moment instructional decisions are essential for helping students develop a conceptual understanding of important math ideas (Carpenter et al., 2003; NCTM, 2000). However, math instruction centered on rote learning and memorization dominates U.S. classrooms, especially among African American students in urban public schools (Cuban, 2007; Davenport & Slate, 2019). Math teachers can support conceptual understanding by recognizing and responding to students’ mathematical thinking as it develops during instruction (Jacobs et al., 2010; Leatham et al., 2015). I examined three male and three female math teachers’ recalled accounts of their experiences making in-the-moment instructional decisions while teaching African American students in large, high-poverty urban public schools. I also examined the roles of rational/intuitive reasoning and deliberation processes in math teachers’ decisions. Transcripts from videotaped teacher interviews were analyzed using Creswell's (2014) data analysis approach and NVIVO QDA software. Classroom observations, researcher notes, and member checking were also performed. Math teachers' in-the-moment decision processes were informed by their ideas about curriculum, teaching, learning, and their ideas about African American students. In-the-moment decision processes were also influenced by various resources, orientations, and goals (Schoenfeld, 2010). A positive relationship between decision process structures and years of teaching experience was identified. Moreover, rational and intuitive knowledge structures were integrated into math teachers’ decision processes at varying degrees (Vanlommel & Pepermans, 2021). This research contributes to our understanding of responsive math instruction among teachers of African American students. This research will contribute to future research, teacher education, and professional development initiatives.

Grantor dc:publisher

Alverno College

Year dc:date

2023

Author dc:creator

• Buchanan, Cherigale White

• Mathematics teacher noticing
• Deciding how to respond in the moment
• Dual-process decision-making
• Mathematics -- Study and teaching
• Teachers

Statement dc:rights

• These materials may be used by individuals and libraries for personal use, research, teaching (including distribution to classes), or for any fair use as defined by U.S. Copyright Law.

Language dc:language

English

Repository record dc:identifier

https://alverno.omeka.net/items/show/849

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:alverno.omeka.net:849