Inconsistency Between a Beginning Elementary School Teacher's Mathematics Beliefs and Teaching Practice

Abstract

This study investigates relationships between a beginning elementary school teacher's beliefs and mathematics teaching practices. A proposed model of relationships between beliefs and practice provided a conceptual framework for the examination of factors that influence beliefs, practice, and the level of inconsistency between them. Data were gathered over 10 months through audiotaped interviews, observations, document analysis, and a beliefs survey. Analyses included the categorization and comparison of beliefs and practice and the development of a revised model of relationships between beliefs and practice. Findings indicate that this teacher's beliefs and practice were not wholly consistent. Rather, her practice was more closely related to her beliefs about mathematics content than to her beliefs about mathematics pedagogy. Her beliefs about mathematics content were highly influenced by her own experiences as a student and her beliefs about mathematics pedagogy were primarily influenced by her own teaching practice. However, the extent to which her teacher preparation program influenced either her beliefs or practice was limited.

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