RUME 26
2024
Omaha, Nebraska
Accelerating Preservice Secondary Mathematics Teachers’ Noticing of Student Needs
Page: 658
Serving diverse student populations equitably is a focal concern for mathematics educators (Association of Mathematics Teacher Educators, 2017), particularly given recent teacher shortages in high needs schools. Teacher preparation programs are tasked with preparing new teachers to thrive in these settings. In this paper, we examine what preservice, secondary mathematics teachers found valuable engaging in structured mentoring and guided reflective opportunities that integrate theory into practice. Participants engaged in authentic experiences including learning assistantships along with traditional practicum experiences. Participants completed guided written reflections throughout the semester, in addition to meeting regularly with a faculty mentor. We utilized Wenger-Trayner and Wenger-Trayner’s (2014) value framework to examine the data and share findings that suggest most participants developed an awareness of mathematical content knowledge, pedagogical content knowledge, and knowledge of students (Ball et al., 2008) at an earlier phase of their training than may be expected in traditional teacher preparation programs.