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5 Teacher Preparation in the United States
Pages 23-36

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From page 23...
... EXAMPLE: TEACHER EDUCATION AT THE UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA Jennifer Marshall of Farmington Area Public Schools used a program at the University of Minnesota to illustrate one pathway for prospective secondary (middle and high school) mathematics teachers.
From page 24...
... Prospective secondary mathematics teachers also take courses in mathe­ atics pedagogy, which cover the teaching of arithmetic, algebra, m and geometry. The prospective teachers also complete a 10-week teaching practicum in the fifth year, in which they gradually take on teaching responsibilities under the supervision of a collaborating teacher.
From page 25...
... During these experiences, she was able to practice classroom management techniques while planning and implementing mathematics instruction. The classroom experiences also included extensive reflective elements, such as the EdTPA, that encouraged her to continually refine her teaching skills.
From page 26...
... . PREPARING NEW TEACHERS FOR DIVERSITY Several of the presenters focused on the challenge of preparing mathematics teachers to work effectively with an increasingly diverse student population.
From page 27...
... Many districts in the southern portion, which borders Mexico, ­ perform better at educating English language learners than districts in other parts of the state do. She and her colleagues have conducted research to identify the factors that contribute to the mathematics learning of the English language learners in the south Texas schools that perform so well.
From page 28...
... The prospective teachers in the program, she noted, are primarily white females from middle-class backgrounds who are being prepared to teach in diverse classrooms. The university has received a grant that is supporting the work of an interdisciplinary team, which includes specialists in mathematics education, literacy, special education, English learning, and clinical teacher supervision, to explore ways to strengthen the university's pedagogical methods classes and better prepare students to address students' strengths and needs.
From page 29...
... Candela said that giving prospective teachers opportunities to reflect on a task they have used in practice teaching helps them build their understanding of the strategies the students used. Learning to Lead Mathematics Discussions Meghan Shaughnessy of the University of Michigan described another teaching practice that can help teachers reach all students in a diverse classroom.5 Leading a whole-class discussion is a complex task for which teachers need to be prepared.
From page 30...
... SOURCE: Meghan Shaughnessy, University of Michigan, workshop presentation. FIGURE 5-2  A kindergarten mathematics problem.
From page 31...
... For some, cultural differences may have impeded their access to the mathematics instruction they received at the elementary and secondary level. Difficulties with mathematics courses at the university level mean that such students are not well prepared; they may lack the academic credentials required for admission to teacher preparation programs and score relatively poorly on required tests.
From page 32...
... Interviewing someone who has not liked studying mathematics is another source of insight, the participant observed. Asking prospective teachers to 6 Alternatives to traditional teacher education programs housed within universities include programs for midcareer professionals who already have a bachelor's or higher degree in another field, internships and other experiences organized in cooperation with university faculty, and other options; see http://www.nctq.org/teacherPrep/review2014/­ alternativeCertification/ [accessed November 1, 2016]
From page 33...
... A key difference is that in Finland educational decisions are made by professional educators, whereas in the United States "everyone is entitled to an authoritative opinion." For example, in the United States many decisions about curriculum are made by school boards, which are elected or appointed bodies often made up of parents and community members. Professional mathematicians are regarded as responsible for shaping the "content" of mathematics instruction, through their role in the development of curriculum materials (standards, textbooks, and assessments)
From page 34...
... Mathematicians frequently lament that many school mathematics teachers do not have strong mathematical knowledge,
From page 35...
... Some institutions are beginning to appreciate this, in his view. This type of cross-boundary coordination is not typically rewarded in university mathematics departments, in terms of status or judgments about promotion or tenure.


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