Understanding the Emotional Ecology of Teacher Candidates' Development of Political Knowledge in Mathematics

• In Event: Equity and Criticality in Mathematics Teacher Education

Abstract

This paper addresses the emotional nature of teacher candidates’ development of political knowledge in teaching mathematics. Political knowledge in teaching mathematics refers to the kinds of understandings that allow one to see the politics in teaching mathematics to advocate for one’s students, especially those of marginalized backgrounds. It positions the teacher as in community with one’s students, where knowledge is understood alongside students and communities rather than as knowledge of or for them. Using Zembylas’s (2007) emotional ecology framework, analysis of data from 49 participating teacher candidates in elementary and secondary mathematics teacher preparation programs across three sites, revealed that candidates’ emotional responses predominantly related to their awareness of their own emotions and socio-political understanding of the scenarios.

Authors

• Kari Kokka, University of Pittsburgh

• Marrielle Myers, Kennesaw State University

• Rochelle Gutierrez, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign