Teaching methods courses are a crucial factor in the preparation of secondary mathematics teachers. Throughout the United States, secondary methods courses have diverse curricula, including variation in the topics covered in these courses. To assess this variation, the authors identified 41 topics potentially valued by secondary methods…

Flipped learning is a popular pedagogical approach in K-12 and in higher education (Graziano, 2017), however minimal research exists on the effectiveness of flipped learning in special education teacher preparation courses. Special education teacher candidates enrolled in five sections of a special education math methods course engaged with…

This study investigated the learning process of preservice elementary teachers (PSTs) through lesson study in a mathematics teaching methods course. Lesson study meeting data of kindergarten PSTs were analyzed to examine the shifting focus on (1) student collaboration in classroom (vision), (2) teaching practices (making content accessible), and…

With a national need to improve Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics Education (STEM), elementary pre-service teachers must be provided with ample opportunities to increase their own knowledge and confidence in STEM disciplines. This article describes a Math Block experience developed for a special population of non-traditional…

In this dissertation, I present my attempts at designing an elementary mathematics methods course to support prospective teachers in developing an understanding of how to teach all students in learning powerful mathematics. To do this, I introduced them to teaching mathematics for equity and social justice by discussing ways to support students'…

This article describes a collaboration between two faculty members, one from mathematics and the other from education, to strengthen the preparation of pre-service elementary school teachers for teaching mathematics. The model used is a learning community which combines a mathematics content course offered by the mathematics department, with a…

One of the most common questions mathematics teachers hear from their students is a question of content value: "When am I ever going to use this?" This research paper looks at the question of content value for students enrolled in an elementary methods course designed to help them develop their abilities to teach mathematics At the end of each…

It is a well-known theory and practice among early childhood educators that building early relationships with the children is crucial to their development. However, there is irony in the fact that many teacher education programs that propose to model "best practices" do not model relationship building with their preservice teachers. This study…

Discusses a course taken at the University of Illinois (Champaign-Urbana) by undergraduates majoring in elementary education. The course attempts to combine theory and practice, emphasizing teaching methods which stress that learners make use of "mental representations" in assembling a working understanding of various components of their…

Explores the utility of L. S. Shulman's view of teaching as the transformation of subject matter in the context of a preservice secondary mathematics methods course. The paper elaborates on Shulman's view, discussing the context of the study, then presenting a case study of a seminar on lesson planning. (SM)