Intervention strategies on teachers focused on creating meaningful educational environments for mathematical abilities development

This article describes an intervention process undertaken in a training program for preschool and first grade teachers from public schools in Cali, Colombia. The objective of this process is to provide a space for teachers to reflect on pedagogical practices which allow them to generate educational processes that foster children’s understanding of mathematical knowledge in the classroom. A set of support strategies was presented for helping teachers in the design, analysis and implementation of learning environments as meaningful educational spaces. Furthermore, participants engaged in an analysis of their own intervention modalities to identify which modalities facilitate the development of mathematical abilities in children. In order to ascertain the transformations in the teachers’ learning environments, the mathematical competences and cognitive processes underlying the activities proposed in the classroom, as well as teacher intervention modalities and the types of student participation in classroom activities were examined both before and after the intervention process. Transformations in the teachers’ conceptions about the children’s abilities and their own practices in teaching mathematics in the classroom were evidenced.

Natural resources, redistribution and Human capital formation

How do resource booms affect human capital accumulation? We exploit time and spatial variation generated by the commodity boom across local governments in Peru to measure the effect of natural resources on human capital formation. We explore the effect of both mining production and tax revenues on test scores, finding a substantial and statistically significant effect for the latter. Transfers to local governments from mining tax revenues are linked to an increase in math test scores of around 0.23 standard deviations. We find that the hiring of permanent teachers as well as the increases in parental employment and improvements in health outcomes of adults and children are plausible mechanisms for such large effect on learning. These findings suggest that redistributive policies could facilitate the accumulation of human capital in resource abundant developing countries as a way to avoid the natural resources curse.

Organizations concerned with the teaching of science and mathematics in Britain. 'Organizaciones que se ocupan de la enseñanza de las Ciencias y Matemáticas en Gran Bretaña'.

Texto en lengua inglesa

La Construction et évolution de l’identité professionnelle en formation initiale

En 2008-2009, l’institut de formation des enseignants du secondaire genevois (IFMES), rattaché au Département de l’instruction publique, est devenu l’institut universitaire des enseignants du secondaire (IUFE). En tant que formatrices à l’IUFE, nous nous interrogeons sur la construction, par les étudiants, d’une identité professionnelle dans une formation initiale, désormais universitaire, accordant une plus grande place aux savoirs théoriques. Comment faire évoluer les représentations du métier dans des séminaires académiques? Quelle méthodologie adopter et quelles situations de travail mettre en place pour prendre en compte les attentes des enseignants en formation et les savoirs expérientiels dans cette période transitoire où ils ont aussi une responsabilité d’enseignement? Dans cette contribution, nous nous centrons sur l’évolution des représentations du métier des étudiants, lesquelles permettent, selon nous, de saisir la construction de l’identité professionnelle. Pour ce faire, nous analysons des matériaux recueillis dans le cadre de nos séminaires qui regroupent soixante-trois enseignants de diverses disciplines, en formation et en emploi dans des établissements de l’enseignement secondaire

Formação continuada de professores e melhoria do exercício docente

O presente trabalho teve como ponto de partida os resultados dos rendimentos escolares apresentados pelo SAEB (Sistema de Avaliação da Educação Básica) e o SAEPE (Sistema de Avaliação Escolar de Pernambuco), frente às ações de intervenções promovidas pelas políticas públicas implementadas pelo governo de Pernambuco, através dos programas de formação continuada, direcionados na perspectiva de reverter os baixos índices do rendimento escolar, o que nos possibilitou a delinear objetivos que nos permitissem a identificar a relação entre os indicadores do SAEB, SAEPE e Programas de Formação Continuada no redimensionamento do saber fazer docente e implicações na melhoria do desempenho docente, bem como identificar limites e possibilidades da formação na melhoria do desempenho docente, em razão dos indicadores apresentados. As transformações do mundo têm interferido de forma contundente no campo da educação, bem como nos vários aspectos da gestão educacional, escolar, curricular e particularmente na formação continuada, com vistas no desempenho docente, tendo como objeto crescente a atenção dos pesquisadores com atuação na educação. As políticas educacionais no Brasil vêm demonstrado preocupação com a qualidade do ensino ofertada pela escola pública, decorrente das pressões dos organismos internacionais, que veem na educação a solução dos problemas enfrentados por um mundo cada vez mais globalizado, de transformações e descobertas tecnológicas que caracterizam hoje, a chamada sociedade do conhecimento. Tal contexto, em que a escola pública brasileira se encontrava, mobilizou os gestores a buscarem ações de intervenção no sentido de reverter o quadro tão comprometedor que o ensino público da Educação Básica brasileira se apresentava. O repensar das práticas pedagógicas vivenciadas no contexto escolar, recai sobre o professor, a responsabilidade do resultado que a escola apresenta. Falar da prática pedagógica recai necessariamente na formação inicial e continuada desse professor. Para sua realização utilizou-se uma abordagem quantitativa e qualitativa. As técnicas de coleta de dados foram aplicação de questionários a 100 professores da educação básica da rede pública, entrevistas com cinco formadores e análise dos documentos relacionados com a política de formação continuada. O estudo demonstrou que o modelo proposto, pouco tem contribuído para o desenvolvimento profissional docente, não envolvendo, portanto, o professor diretamente no processo formativo, com exceção dos que participam de alguns programas (SAEB / SAEPE) que visam diretamente à melhoria dos índices de aprendizagem em língua portuguesa e matemática, na perspectiva de que a formação os instrumentalize a aplicar técnicas, que a formação continuada não atende nem suas necessidades, nem da escola. Os demais professores só se encontram uma vez por ano, em estilo de grande evento, enquanto as formações ocorrem de forma desarticulada e fragmentada. Em consequência, foram apresentadas algumas reflexões no intuito de provocar e contribuir na revisão da concepção de formação continuada vivenciada pelos professores da rede pública do ensino de Pernambuco.

Transition of pupils from Key Stage 2 to 3 deemed gifted and talented in mathematics: an initial study

In this article Geoff Tennant and Dave Harries report on the early stages of a research project looking to examine the transition from Key Stage (KS) 2 to 3 of children deemed Gifted and Talented (G&T) in mathematics. An examination of relevant literature points towards variation in definition of key terms and underlying rationale for activities. Preliminary fieldwork points towards a lack of meaningful communication between schools, with primary school teachers in particular left to themselves to decide how to work with children deemed G&T. Some pointers for action are given, along with ideas for future research and a request for colleagues interested in working with us to get in touch.

Science learning and graphic symbols: an exploration of early years teachers’ views and use of graphic symbols when teaching science

The study investigated early years teachers’ understanding and use of graphic symbols, defined as the visual representation(s) used to communicate one or more “linguistic” concepts, which can be used to facilitate science learning. The study was conducted in Cyprus where six early years teachers were observed and interviewed. The results indicate that the teachers had a good understanding of the role of symbols, but demonstrated a lack of understanding in regards to graphic symbols specifically. None of the teachers employed them in their observed science lesson, although some of them claimed that they did so. Findings suggest a gap in participants’ acquaintance with the terminology regarding different types of symbols and a lack of awareness about the use and availability of graphic symbols for the support of learning. There is a need to inform and train early years teachers about graphic symbols and their potential applications in supporting children’s learning.

Teachers' conceptions about students' mathematical reasoning : Gendered or not?

This study looks at how upper secondary school teachers gender stereotype aspects of students' mathematical reasoning. Girls were attributed gender symbols including insecurity, use of standard methods and imitative reasoning. Boys were assigned the symbols such as multiple strategies especially on the calculator, guessing and chance-taking. 

Teaching Mathematics in English to Swedish Speaking Students : A systematic review of strategies for teaching mathematics to second language learners

The Swedish government has authorised the teaching of mathematics in English to Swedish speaking students. Much of that teaching is performed by foreign trained native English speaking teachers lacking training in second language learners. This systematic review summarises international studies from the last ten years that deal with the teaching of mathematics to second language learners. The review shows that second language students working in a bilingual environment achieve higher rates of content and language knowledge than learners in a monolingual environment. This study also summarises some of the teacher practices that are effective for teaching mathematics in English to second language learners.

Teaching Mathematics in English to Swedish Speaking Students : The Use of Second Language Teaching Practices in the Teaching of Mathematics in English to Swedish Speaking Students in Lower Secondary School

Over 20,000 Swedish lower high school students are currently learning mathematics in English but little research has been conducted in this area. This study looks into the question of how much second language learner training teachers teaching mathematics in English to Swedish speaking students have acquired and how many of those teachers are using effective teaching practices for second language learners. The study confirms earlier findings that report few teachers receive training in second language learning but indicates that some of the teaching practices shown to be effective with second language learners are being used in some Swedish schools

Olhares sobre a formação do professor de matemática. Imagem da profissão e escrita de si

The main focus of this thesis is the formation of a mathematical teacher at a college institution. The general aim is to describe and to analyze the formation process of a mathematical teacher which is an undergraduate student in Mathematics at the Instituto de Educação Superior Presidente Kennedy IFESP, in Natal-RN. It is based on a qualitative ethnographic approach, and has its theoretical anchorage in the (auto)biographical narratives, the social representative theories, and the mathematical education. The number of participants in this investigation was 12 undergraduate students, which corresponds to 25% of the total number of students. The corpus utilized in our analysis included 48 (auto)biographical essays, 12 (auto)biographies (formation's memories), and 12 contextualization files, besides the research's diary. The sources were obtained from the whole program of studies, i.e. from November 2003 to December 2006. The analysis revealed that the reminiscences of the 12 students' academic trajectory influenced their professional formation, since their images of a mathematical teacher were intrinsically related to the one they had before. These representations were being either demolished or constructed in a network along the assertive image of their profession, changing afterwards the mathematical representation and the teaching way of this discipline. Our study also shows that the beginning of their teacher career was marked by mechanical practices influenced by their old teachers. The (trans)formation of themselves and their teaching practices happened in a smooth way as soon as they increased their knowledgements in Mathematics, and it reflected upon the way they learned mathematics. The writing of their (auto)biographies helped the set up of new knowledgements, leaving to a self-consciousness as well as a self-formation, and contributed for the construction of a new way to see and to live the profession. Therefore, a mathematical teacher, for the undergraduate students of the IFESP involved in this work, is made at the interface of the familiar, academic, and professional context, besides the reflexive writings about the formation path, the way of life and the relationships among them

Investigação etnomatemática em contextos indígenas: caminhos para a reorientação da prática pedagógica

From the investigation, analysis, discussion and pondering about the activities developed by the lndians from the Porteira hamlet, members of the Xerente community, in the Tocantins state, we developed an investigative and descriptive study about the reality of this people with the aim of helping in the conceptual formation and in the reorientation of the pedagogical practice of the local teachers. In this sense, the undertaken research involved the teachers, the main representatives and experts in that cultural tradition, in order to investigate how the everyday activities (agriculture, food handling, assets distribution among the community members, etc.) and the cultural tradition (log race, body painting, clan division, Xerente numeration, Indian myths and histories, etc.), may enable the contextualization of the mathematics teaching in the lndian School Srêmtôwê of this hamlet, under a more transversal and globalizing perspective of the local and school knowledge. We based this research in the sociocultural conceptions of knowledge generation proposed by D Ambrosio (1990; 2002); Vergani (2007); Oliveras (1996); Gerdes (1991; 2002); Bishop (1999) e Sebastiani Ferreira (1997; 2004). ln the process of this study we propose some viable ways so that the Indian teachers may reorganize their classroom knowledge and actions, based in the strengthening of their history and culture. The observation of some social practices and knowledge as well as of the Xerente traditions helped us to point some possibilities of projection of a didacticalpedagogical dimension of these activities and practices, in the development of the school mathematical knowledge in this community