Developing reflective practice among teachers of mathematics

Abstract

This qualitative case study of four middle school and secondary school mathematics teachers examines how teachers’ reflective practice supported their selection of strategies that align with the needs of current mathematics education according to the 10 dimensions of mathematics education. The findings suggest that teachers’ reflection practice, through collaboration with other teachers and creating a positive safe environment within their classroom for students’ feedback, impacts their design of classroom practices. They prioritize planning and preparing for the dimensions that are being discussed in the meetings with other teachers. Another major finding is that high level reflective teachers’ attitudes toward teaching mathematics is consistent with the needs of current mathematics education. Lastly, meeting individual needs of students is the dimension that all teachers in this study, regardless of their level of reflection, were struggling to reflect on and plan for. Overall, each teacher reported reflective practices that appeared to align with the attitudes and practices for teaching mathematics survey.