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Math Autobiographies: A Window into Teachers' Identities as Mathematics Learners
Author(s) -
McCulloch Allison W.,
Marshall Patricia L.,
DeCuirGunby Jessica T.,
Caldwell Ticola S.
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
school science and mathematics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.135
H-Index - 2
eISSN - 1949-8594
pISSN - 0036-6803
DOI - 10.1111/ssm.12041
Subject(s) - mathematics education , connected mathematics , adaptation (eye) , professional development , reform mathematics , pedagogy , math wars , psychology , neuroscience
Mathematics autobiographies have the potential to help teachers reflect on their identities as mathematics learners and to understand their role in the development of their students' mathematics identities. This paper reports on a professional development project for K ‐2 teachers ( n = 41), in which participants were asked to write mathematics autobiographies. Using an adaptation of an existing framework for characterizing teachers' mathematics stories, we describe the consistencies among the participants' experiences as mathematics learners and the events that are identified as being the impetus for a transition from a negative to a positive attitude toward mathematics. Implications for both teachers and teacher educators are presented.