THE PERSPECTIVES OF TEACHER LEADERS ON MATHEMATICS, LEARNING, AND TEACHING: SUPPORTING REFORM-ORIENTED INSTRUCTION

We conducted a qualitative study investigating the perspectives of mathematics teacher leaders on mathematics, learning, and teaching throughout a mathematics teacher leadership program. Data sources included nine mathematics teacher leaders’ work on three application essays and four assignments across the leadership program. Through a template analysis, we applied a perspectives framework to characterize the views of teacher leaders in transition toward reform-oriented mathematics instruction. Findings revealed all the mathematics teacher leaders entered the program with a view of mathematics as connected and logical with desires to provide active mathematical experiences for students to develop understanding. Approximately half of the teacher leaders enhanced this view to begin to incorporate students’ different views on mathematics into instruction, while the other teacher leaders appeared to continue to view mathematics as an objective discipline, independent of students’ constructions. Implications include ideas for supporting mathematics teacher leaders in enhancing their views of mathematics, learning, and teaching.