Exploring the evolving nature of three elementary preservice teachers' beliefs and practices: Three parallel case studies

This study examines the evolution of beliefs and practices of three elementary preservice teachers. The focus of the study is to explore the following questions: (1) What are the preservice teachers' notions about teaching and learning mathematics? (2) What are the cooperating teachers' notions about teaching and learning mathematics? (3) How do preservice teachers' beliefs evolve during the Method's Course? (4) How are these beliefs transformed within the context of the classroom? (5) What influence do cooperating teachers' beliefs and practices have on the preservice teachers' beliefs and practices?The study began in Spring 1999 when the preservice teachers took their Mathematics Method's Course. It continued in Fall 1999 when the preservice teachers participated in their field experience. Their beliefs regarding mathematics teaching and learning were investigated during the Spring while they took the Method's Course. These beliefs were reexamined as they complete their field teaching experience. In addition, a considerable amount of time was spent investigating the three cooperating teachers' classroom practices to understand their beliefs.Data from transcriptions of interviews with both the cooperating and preservice teachers, classroom observation, field notes, review of written assignments, cooperating teachers' and preservice teachers' written responses to questionnaires, and the preservice teachers' journal entries were analyzed using a constant comparative method (Lincoln & Guba, 1985). The categories that emerged from the multiple data sources were: time, classroom management, socio-political nature of education, social and socio-mathematical norms, and lack of content knowledge.Findings from this study suggest that preservice teachers begin college Method's Courses unsure how to teach but unsatisfied with the methods in which they were taught. The Method's Course challenged their traditional beliefs and provided an alternate pedagogy to teaching that utilizes the recommendations of the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (1989, 1991a, 1991b, 1995). These new beliefs were strengthened as the preservice teachers completed their practicum experience. Their newly formed beliefs were challenged during their student teaching portion of their internship due to the issues that emerged. Eventually all of the preservice teachers were teaching in a traditional manner although each still espoused a constructivist paradigm.