Teacher Change:Teacher Change:Is It Possible in Is It Possible in

Today’s Today’s Classrooms?Classrooms?

Mary C. EndersonMary C. Enderson

Lauren J. WrightLauren J. Wright

Middle Tennessee State Middle Tennessee State UniversityUniversity

Purpose of Purpose of ResearchResearch

•To identify cases where To identify cases where reform movement practices reform movement practices are occurring in are occurring in mathematics classroomsmathematics classrooms

•To document factors that To document factors that influenced mathematics influenced mathematics teachers to teach in a “non-teachers to teach in a “non-traditional” mannertraditional” manner

Research Research QuestionsQuestions

•Major: What factors influence a Major: What factors influence a teacher to implement reform-teacher to implement reform-based ideas into her classroom based ideas into her classroom practices?practices?

• Related questions:Related questions:

- conceptions of T & L- conceptions of T & L

- conceptions of reform movement- conceptions of reform movement

- encourage/discourage new visions - encourage/discourage new visions of teachingof teaching

Theoretical Theoretical FrameworkFramework

Adopted a framework focused Adopted a framework focused on teacher actions and on teacher actions and teacher beliefs & conceptions teacher beliefs & conceptions (Clarke, 1997)(Clarke, 1997)

- What s/he does?- What s/he does?

- What are her/his conceptions - What are her/his conceptions about T & L mathematics?about T & L mathematics?

FrameworkFramework•Clarke (1997) studied two Clarke (1997) studied two

teachers using “reform-teachers using “reform-based” curriculum and how based” curriculum and how they operated in such they operated in such environments.environments.

•Our teachers were not using Our teachers were not using reform-based curricula, but reform-based curricula, but professed they often taught professed they often taught using reform-based practices. using reform-based practices.

MethodologyMethodology

•Case studyCase study

•Focus: One teacher named Focus: One teacher named RuthRuth

•Length of study: Length of study: 1.5 years 1.5 years

Teacher ReformTeacher Reform

•What does it mean?What does it mean?•How does the literature How does the literature

address reform?address reform?•How does one come to How does one come to

“know” and “show” what “know” and “show” what the reform movement the reform movement promotes?promotes?

What does reform What does reform mean?mean?

•To improve by alteration, To improve by alteration, correction of error, or correction of error, or removal of defects;removal of defects;

•A change for the better;A change for the better;•A movement that attempts A movement that attempts

to institute improved social to institute improved social and political conditions.and political conditions.

(American Heritage (American Heritage Dictionary)Dictionary)

Educational Reform Educational Reform MovementMovement

• Changes in societyChanges in society• More focused on the More focused on the learnerlearner

Mathematics Mathematics Education Reform Education Reform

MovementMovement

•Different perspectives of Different perspectives of what mathematics to what mathematics to teach & how to teach itteach & how to teach it

•Role of technologyRole of technology

Seven Supports Seven Supports That Encourage That Encourage Teacher ChangeTeacher Change

1.1. Gaining a Gaining a professional professional rolerole

2.2. Ensuring staff Ensuring staff development development experiencesexperiences

3.3. Involving all Involving all teachersteachers

4.4. Risk taking and Risk taking and collaborationcollaboration

5.5. Experiencing Experiencing institutional institutional commitmentcommitment

6.6. Building Building community community supportsupport

7.7. Having visible Having visible outcomesoutcomes

(Tinto & Masingila, (Tinto & Masingila, 1998)1998)

Literature related Literature related to teacher to teacher knowledgeknowledge

““Where [teachers’] knowledge is Where [teachers’] knowledge is more explicit, better connected, more explicit, better connected, and more integrated, they will and more integrated, they will tend to teach the subject more tend to teach the subject more dynamically, represent it in more dynamically, represent it in more varied ways, and encourage and varied ways, and encourage and respond fully to student respond fully to student comments and questions.comments and questions.

Literature related Literature related to teacher to teacher knowledgeknowledge

Where their knowledge is limited, Where their knowledge is limited, they will tend to depend on the they will tend to depend on the text for content, de-emphasize text for content, de-emphasize interactive discourse in favor of interactive discourse in favor of seatwork assignments, and in seatwork assignments, and in general, portray the subject as general, portray the subject as a collection of static, factual a collection of static, factual knowledge.”knowledge.”

(Brophy, 1991)(Brophy, 1991)

Conceptions and Conceptions and PracticePractice

•Teacher’s deeply held, Teacher’s deeply held, traditional beliefs traditional beliefs influence teaching influence teaching methods methods (Raymond, 1997)(Raymond, 1997)

•Change is a VERY difficult Change is a VERY difficult and complex process and complex process (Sarason, 1971)(Sarason, 1971)

ParticipantsParticipants

• 5 secondary 5 secondary mathematics teachersmathematics teachers

• 4 different counties4 different counties• all were graduate all were graduate

students in an MST students in an MST programprogram

Length of StudyLength of Study

• Initial observations: Spring Initial observations: Spring ’00’00

•Focus: Spring & Summer ’01Focus: Spring & Summer ’01•Geometry unit of study was Geometry unit of study was

2 weeks long (on block)2 weeks long (on block)

Data CollectionData Collection

• InterviewsInterviews•Observation w/field notesObservation w/field notes•Videotaped classroom Videotaped classroom

episodesepisodes•Class documentsClass documents•Test results – for the unit and Test results – for the unit and

for the State Subject matterfor the State Subject matter

Data AnalysisData Analysis

•Coding/Search for themesCoding/Search for themes•As themes emerged, they As themes emerged, they

directed what was needed – directed what was needed – found out by continued found out by continued questioning or collecting of questioning or collecting of evidenceevidence

•Used final group of themes Used final group of themes to support/make sense of to support/make sense of resultsresults

Ruth’s BackgroundRuth’s Background

• EducationalEducational– Own mathematics education was Own mathematics education was

very traditionalvery traditional– No undergraduate math. No undergraduate math.

Education classesEducation classes

•ProfessionalProfessional– Been teaching for 17 yearsBeen teaching for 17 years– Extremely diverse teaching Extremely diverse teaching

experiencesexperiences

Ruth’s Community Ruth’s Community and Schooland School

•CommunityCommunity– Small, rural town in Middle Small, rural town in Middle

TennesseeTennessee– Majority of people work in factories Majority of people work in factories

(logging industry)(logging industry)

•SchoolSchool– Most students do not go onto Most students do not go onto

collegecollege– About 350 students with 3 About 350 students with 3

Hispanics, all from the same familyHispanics, all from the same family

Ruth’s ConceptionsRuth’s Conceptions

•Believes biggest challenge Believes biggest challenge in teaching is making the in teaching is making the mathematics relevant to mathematics relevant to the lives of the studentsthe lives of the students

•Having a hard time Having a hard time implementing the implementing the StandardsStandards

•Willing to try ANYTHINGWilling to try ANYTHING

Ruth’s PracticesRuth’s Practices

•Block schedulingBlock scheduling•Unique textbookUnique textbook•Warm-Up problemsWarm-Up problems•Very non-traditionalVery non-traditional•AssessmentAssessment

AnalysisAnalysis

Themes:Themes:•comfort-levelcomfort-level•confidenceconfidence•knowledge of contentknowledge of content•knowledge of curriculumknowledge of curriculum•making mathematics making mathematics

relevantrelevant

AnalysisAnalysis

•Ruth’s conceptions of T & LRuth’s conceptions of T & L

•Ruth’s conceptions of Ruth’s conceptions of reform movementreform movement

•Encourage/discourage new Encourage/discourage new visions of teachingvisions of teaching

AnalysisAnalysis

Major research question:Major research question:

What factors influence a What factors influence a teacher to implement teacher to implement reform-based ideas into reform-based ideas into her classroom practices? her classroom practices?

FindingsFindings

Ruth is not the “typical” Ruth is not the “typical” teacherteacher

•Willing to take risksWilling to take risks•Willing to put in extra time Willing to put in extra time

to develop ideas and bring to develop ideas and bring them to the classroomthem to the classroom

•Wants mathematics to have Wants mathematics to have meaning for her studentsmeaning for her students

Recommendations Recommendations for Future for Future ResearchResearch

•How do students react to How do students react to non-traditional teaching non-traditional teaching methods?methods?

• Is block scheduling a factor Is block scheduling a factor in a teacher’s decision to in a teacher’s decision to use reform-based practices?use reform-based practices?

• Is the textbook a factor in Is the textbook a factor in how a teacher operates in how a teacher operates in the classroom?the classroom?

Implications for Implications for Teacher EducationTeacher Education

•Exposure to the reform Exposure to the reform movement movement –What does it look like? What does it look like? –How does one get there?How does one get there?

•Mathematics content Mathematics content courses need to adopt courses need to adopt reform-movement reform-movement practices.practices.

Questions & Questions & CommentsComments

•Email:Email:

<mcenders@mtsu.edu><mcenders@mtsu.edu>

<wrightlj@hotmail.com><wrightlj@hotmail.com>•Website:Website:

http://www.mtsu.edu/http://www.mtsu.edu/~mcenders~mcenders