Elementary Teachers' Mathematics Curricular Decision Making: Multiple Resources, Multiple Truths

Session Type: Symposium

Abstract

Mathematics curricular materials have come a long way from hardcopy textbooks and teachers’ guides. Teachers now have access to multiple materials including many online options, resulting in a complex decision-making process and in multiple truths about the best resources for their students.To better understand how elementary teachers make mathematics curricular decisions, we conducted a national survey (n = 524) followed by a three-phase interview protocol with teachers working in the same school. This proposal focuses on qualitative analysis from interviews with those five elementary teachers. We share teacher reports on selecting and using materials, describing how they navigate the online environment and how they construct a coherent experience for students.

Sub Unit

• SIG-Research in Mathematics Education

Chair

• Bima K. Sapkota, University of Texas - Rio Grande Valley

Papers

• Navigating Standards With Detectives and Ninjas: Elementary Teachers' Use of Multiple Mathematics Curricular Resources - Doris Fulwider, Purdue University; Amy M. Olson, Duquesne University

• Examining Elementary Teachers' Selection of Mathematics Curricular Resources - Mona Baniahmadi, University of Texas at Austin; Bima K. Sapkota, University of Texas - Rio Grande Valley

• Elementary Teachers' Use of Teacher-Created Mathematics Curricular Materials: Focus on TeachersPayTeachers and Pinterest - Bima K. Sapkota, University of Texas - Rio Grande Valley; Jill Annette Newton, Purdue University

• Curriculum Coherence Across Elementary Teachers' Mathematics Lessons - Kristin Doherty, Michigan State University; Marcy B. Wood, University of Arizona

Discussant

• Mona Baniahmadi, University of Texas at Austin