Due to the increased expectations for rigorous mathematics instruction demanded by the Common Core Standards, it has become increasingly difficult for elementary teachers who are trained to be generalists to deliver expert instruction in mathematics. This difficulty is compounded by the reality that many elementary teachers self-identify as disliking math. The purpose of this qualitative, interpretive phenomenological study was to explore, investigate, and interpret the lived experiences and perceptions of self-contained elementary teachers who describe themselves as disliking mathematics. The central research question answered by this study is: What are the lived experiences and perceptions of self-contained elementary teachers who dislike mathematics? The following subquestions were also addressed:
How have self-contained elementary teachers who dislike mathematics experienced mathematics?
How have self-contained elementary teachers who dislike mathematics experienced reform-based approaches for teaching mathematics?
How do self-contained elementary teachers who dislike mathematics perceive their own identity as mathematics teachers?
Data was collected via semistructured interviews with nine participants and was viewed through the lens of mathematics teacher identity in the context of mathematics education reform. Five distinct patterns of experience emerged and were mapped together to create a continuum of avoiding, surviving, coping, emerging, and thriving with reform-based mathematics teaching. The results of this study indicate that the mathematics teacher identity of self-contained elementary teachers who dislike mathematics affects both their willingness and their ability to implement reform-based mathematics teaching.
","abstract_html":"<p>Due to the increased expectations for rigorous mathematics instruction demanded by the Common Core Standards, it has become increasingly difficult for elementary teachers who are trained to be generalists to deliver expert instruction in mathematics. This difficulty is compounded by the reality that many elementary teachers self-identify as disliking math. The purpose of this qualitative, interpretive phenomenological study was to explore, investigate, and interpret the lived experiences and perceptions of self-contained elementary teachers who describe themselves as disliking mathematics. The central research question answered by this study is: What are the lived experiences and perceptions of self-contained elementary teachers who dislike mathematics? The following subquestions were also addressed:</p> <ol> <li> <p>How have self-contained elementary teachers who dislike mathematics experienced mathematics?</p> </li> <li> <p>How have self-contained elementary teachers who dislike mathematics experienced reform-based approaches for teaching mathematics?</p> </li> <li> <p>How do self-contained elementary teachers who dislike mathematics perceive their own identity as mathematics teachers?</p> </li> </ol> <p>Data was collected via semistructured interviews with nine participants and was viewed through the lens of mathematics teacher identity in the context of mathematics education reform. Five distinct patterns of experience emerged and were mapped together to create a continuum of avoiding, surviving, coping, emerging, and thriving with reform-based mathematics teaching. The results of this study indicate that the mathematics teacher identity of self-contained elementary teachers who dislike mathematics affects both their willingness and their ability to implement reform-based mathematics teaching.</p>","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Bixby, Melinda J"],"institution":null,"degree_name":"Doctor of Education (EdD)","degree_level":"Dissertation","degree_discipline":"Education","degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":["Lori Sanchez","Sharese Pearson-Bush","Peter D. Ladd"],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2023,"date_issued":"2023-04-12T07:00:00Z","date_published":"2023-04-12T07:00:00Z","updated_at":"2026-07-24T05:21:34Z","subjects":["Mathematics teacher identity","elementary mathematics teacher","self-contained elementary teacher","elementary teachers who dislike mathematics","reform-based mathematics instruction","mathematics education reform","Education","Elementary Education and Teaching","Teacher Education and Professional Development"],"languages":[],"rights":[],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://dune.une.edu/edu_diss/7","outbound_label":"Repository record","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor","label":"Contributor","values":["Lori Sanchez","Sharese Pearson-Bush","Peter D. Ladd"]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Bixby, Melinda J"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date.available","label":"Dc Date Available","values":["2023-04-12T07:00:00Z"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Education"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["Dissertation"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["Doctor of Education (EdD)"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["Mathematics teacher identity","elementary mathematics teacher","self-contained elementary teacher","elementary teachers who dislike mathematics","reform-based mathematics instruction","mathematics education reform","Education","Elementary Education and Teaching","Teacher Education and Professional Development"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["https://dune.une.edu/edu_diss/7"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["Due to the increased expectations for rigorous mathematics instruction demanded by the Common Core Standards, it has become increasingly difficult for elementary teachers who are trained to be generalists to deliver expert instruction in mathematics. This difficulty is compounded by the reality that many elementary teachers self-identify as disliking math. The purpose of this qualitative, interpretive phenomenological study was to explore, investigate, and interpret the lived experiences and perceptions of self-contained elementary teachers who describe themselves as disliking mathematics. The central research question answered by this study is: What are the lived experiences and perceptions of self-contained elementary teachers who dislike mathematics? The following subquestions were also addressed:
How have self-contained elementary teachers who dislike mathematics experienced mathematics?
How have self-contained elementary teachers who dislike mathematics experienced reform-based approaches for teaching mathematics?
How do self-contained elementary teachers who dislike mathematics perceive their own identity as mathematics teachers?
Data was collected via semistructured interviews with nine participants and was viewed through the lens of mathematics teacher identity in the context of mathematics education reform. Five distinct patterns of experience emerged and were mapped together to create a continuum of avoiding, surviving, coping, emerging, and thriving with reform-based mathematics teaching. The results of this study indicate that the mathematics teacher identity of self-contained elementary teachers who dislike mathematics affects both their willingness and their ability to implement reform-based mathematics teaching.
"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Math Teachers Who Don’t Like Math: A Phenomenological Study Of Elementary Teachers Who Dislike Mathematics Viewed Through The Lens Of Mathematics Teacher Identity In The Context Of Mathematics Education Reform"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor":["Lori Sanchez","Sharese Pearson-Bush","Peter D. Ladd"],"dc:creator":["Bixby, Melinda J"],"dc:date.available":["2023-04-12T07:00:00Z"],"dc:description.abstract":["Due to the increased expectations for rigorous mathematics instruction demanded by the Common Core Standards, it has become increasingly difficult for elementary teachers who are trained to be generalists to deliver expert instruction in mathematics. This difficulty is compounded by the reality that many elementary teachers self-identify as disliking math. The purpose of this qualitative, interpretive phenomenological study was to explore, investigate, and interpret the lived experiences and perceptions of self-contained elementary teachers who describe themselves as disliking mathematics. The central research question answered by this study is: What are the lived experiences and perceptions of self-contained elementary teachers who dislike mathematics? The following subquestions were also addressed:
How have self-contained elementary teachers who dislike mathematics experienced mathematics?
How have self-contained elementary teachers who dislike mathematics experienced reform-based approaches for teaching mathematics?
How do self-contained elementary teachers who dislike mathematics perceive their own identity as mathematics teachers?
Data was collected via semistructured interviews with nine participants and was viewed through the lens of mathematics teacher identity in the context of mathematics education reform. Five distinct patterns of experience emerged and were mapped together to create a continuum of avoiding, surviving, coping, emerging, and thriving with reform-based mathematics teaching. The results of this study indicate that the mathematics teacher identity of self-contained elementary teachers who dislike mathematics affects both their willingness and their ability to implement reform-based mathematics teaching.
"],"dc:identifier":["https://dune.une.edu/edu_diss/7"],"dc:subject":["Mathematics teacher identity","elementary mathematics teacher","self-contained elementary teacher","elementary teachers who dislike mathematics","reform-based mathematics instruction","mathematics education reform","Education","Elementary Education and Teaching","Teacher Education and Professional Development"],"dc:title":["Math Teachers Who Don’t Like Math: A Phenomenological Study Of Elementary Teachers Who Dislike Mathematics Viewed Through The Lens Of Mathematics Teacher Identity In The Context Of Mathematics Education Reform"],"thesis:degree_discipline":["Education"],"thesis:degree_level":["Dissertation"],"thesis:degree_name":["Doctor of Education (EdD)"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T05:21:34Z"}