School of Mathematical and Statistical Sciences Faculty Publications and Presentations

Secondary Preservice Teachers’ Mathematical Knowledge for Teaching: Affordances and Limitations of Peer Teaching and Reflection

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

2-28-2025

Abstract

Mathematics teacher educators suggest investigating evidence of Preservice Mathematics Teachers’ (PMTs) Mathematical Knowledge for Teaching through Approximations of Practice. However, the forms of approximations of practice that optimize PMTs’ opportunities to demonstrate and develop Mathematical Knowledge for Teaching are underexplored. In this study, I investigated how four secondary PMTs demonstrated the six subdomains of Mathematical Knowledge for Teaching through peer teaching and associated reflections. Using a qualitative content analysis method, I found that four subdomains (i.e., Knowledge of Content and Teaching, Knowledge of Content and Students, Knowledge of Content and Curriculum, and Common Content Knowledge) were evidenced when the PMTs enacted their planned instructional strategies (e.g., pose planned guiding questions), or when they made contingency decisions (e.g., modify tasks based on students’ responses). There was minimal evidence of the PMTs presenting and describing big mathematical ideas, contextual examples, and students’ non-standard problem-solving strategies; thus, there were fewer instances of Horizon Content Knowledge and Specialized Content Knowledge. These findings suggest the affordances (i.e., PMTs’ planned and contingency actions and decisions) and limitations (i.e., treating peers as students) of peer teaching (an approximation) to investigate Mathematical Knowledge for Teaching. I discuss how mathematics teacher educators could incorporate specific instructional activities into peer teaching to optimize PMTs’ opportunities to develop Mathematical Knowledge for Teaching.

Comments

Reprints and permissions

https://rdcu.be/ekrmR

Publication Title

International Journal of Science and Mathematics Education

DOI

10.1007/s10763-025-10555-w

Link to Full Text

Share

COinS