Exploring Educator Values Alignment Strategies in an Intervention Context: The Emergence of the Beacon Strategy

Abstract

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to explore whether the four value alignment strategies available to educators (Scaffolding, Balancing, Intervention and Refuge) previously identified in the mathematics education literature comprehensively capture educator value alignment strategies in an intervention context. Design/Approach/Methods: To this end, we analyse semi-structured interview data with two teacher-leaders involved in the Getting Ready in Numeracy (G.R.I.N.) intervention program through a value alignment lens. Findings: We ascertain that a fifth strategy, the Beacon strategy, is needed to describe the range of value alignment strategies employed by educators in the G.R.I.N. program. The Beacon strategy involves the educator digging in and reasserting their expectations until the student behaves in a manner that aligns with the educator’s values. In part it involves the educator being able to recognise their own values and clearly communicating these values to students. Originality/value: This article further explores strategies that educators have at their disposal for aligning their values with those of their students. The uncovering of the Beacon strategy is particularly valuable as it suggests that educators could be purposefully pursuing value alignment even when they do not appear to take any active steps to move further towards their students’ sets of values.

Exploring the Roles of Religious Beliefs to Value Mathematics Education: An Alternative to the Madrasa Reform?

“…The values-related research provides a valuable and alternative perspective to understand the effectiveness of mathematics teaching and learning [25,28,29,30]. In short, the studies imply that if the teacher is able to be aware of or clarify and gain control over his/her values and align or negotiate his/her values in mathematics teaching, then it will support the effectiveness of mathematics teaching and learning [30].…”

“…The values-related research provides a valuable and alternative perspective to understand the effectiveness of mathematics teaching and learning [25,28,29,30]. In short, the studies imply that if the teacher is able to be aware of or clarify and gain control over his/her values and align or negotiate his/her values in mathematics teaching, then it will support the effectiveness of mathematics teaching and learning [30]. It cannot be argued that teacher education plays a vital role in preparing future teachers, including the development of the teachers' values in mathematics teaching and learning [28] It is argued that that "…the more the student teachers are aware of the values professed, the higher the willingness that they will have to implement such values…" (p.67) [18].…”

“…It cannot be argued that teacher education plays a vital role in preparing future teachers, including the development of the teachers' values in mathematics teaching and learning [28] It is argued that that "…the more the student teachers are aware of the values professed, the higher the willingness that they will have to implement such values…" (p.67) [18]. Referring to [18,30], it is conjectured that if we support the PMTs to clarify and/or develop their PVs, then they will possibly have a higher chance to enact the values and be more flexible in their thinking and practices in teaching mathematics.…”

Exploring Issues About Values in Mathematics Education

“…Two of the seven articles examined issues primarily about teachers or educators' values about mathematics and mathematics teaching. The study presented by Kalogeropoulos et al (2021) investigated, in an intervention context, whether the four-value alignment strategies, namely, scaffolding, balancing, intervention, and refuge, as identified in an earlier work by Kalogeropoulos and Bishop (2017), can comprehensively account for educators' value alignment strategies. Using the data collected from semi-structured interviews with two teacher-leaders involved in an intervention program in Australia, which were designed mainly for catering to students who were in the 20th to 40th percentile in terms of their mathematics performance, the paper argued that a fifth strategy, termed the Beacon strategy, is needed to better describe the full range of value alignment strategies employed by educators in the intervention program.…”

Values and Valuing Across Cultures and Time Zones

“…In any case, the transference of values, as considered by Dede et al (2021), or alternatively the alignment of values, are of importance and interest to be investigated. Kalogeropoulos et al (2021) understand values as a conative variable and develop a qualitative research on the interplay between values and decision making at school. In their research, they focus on teacher's actions taken to align students and teachers' values in an intervention context.…”