Tuning Professional Vision to Mathematical Practices

• In Event: Roundtable Session 19
  In Roundtable Session: Mathematics Teachers' Knowledge and Learning

Abstract

Mathematical practices are central to the Common Core; however, these practices are not easily specified, recognized, or consistently interpreted. Teachers will need to develop an understanding of the practices and "professional vision" for noticing mathematical practice enagement in classroom interactions. This study examines teachers’ noticing of mathematical practices and how this might change through participating in a workshop focused mathematical practices and built around an elementary laboratory class. Participants showed evidence of growth, including a deeper understanding of the mathematical practices and more nuanced noticing of mathematical practices in instruction. They reported that the combination of observing the mathematical practice rich environment of the laboratory class and then discussing what they noticed helped them “tune their noticing” to mathematical practices.

Authors

• Hyman Bass, University of Michigan

• Sarah Kate Selling, University of Michigan - Ann Arbor