Upper Elementary Math Lessons: Case Studies of Real Teaching - Softcover

Graeber, Anna O.; Valli, Linda; Newton, Kristie Jones

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1442211962 ISBN 13: 9781442211964

Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, 2011

Synopsis

Engaging students in worthwhile learning requires more than a knowledge of underlying principles of good teaching. It demands considerable practice as well as images of what good teaching in particular situations and for particular purposes might look like. This volume provides these images. These cases were written from authentic, unrehearsed lessons taught by upper-elementary classroom teachers to diverse groups of real students in intact classrooms. Each lesson contains elements of sound instructional practice from which both preservice and in-service teachers can benefit. Cases are not meant to be ideal, but rather to evoke ways of seeing and thinking about good classroom instruction for all learners. Accompanied by analytic commentaries from experts representing a particular perspective, such as special education and ESOL, these unrehearsed cases are written with the understanding that teaching is complex and multi-dimensional. The cases are drawn from a four-year study of 4th and 5th grade mathematics instruction of culturally diverse classrooms with relatively high rates of students from low-income families.

About this title

About the Author:

Anna O. Graeber is Associate Professor Emerita in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction at the University of Maryland, with her doctorate in mathematics education from Teachers College, Columbia University. Prior to teaching at the University of Maryland, she served in various mathematics curriculum and staff development positions at Research for Better Schools, a regional educational laboratory in Philadelphia. She is best known for her research on students' misconceptions in mathematics.

Linda Valli is the inaugural Jeffrey & David Mullan Professor of Teacher Education and Professional Development in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction at the University of Maryland. Her Ph.D. is from the Department of Education Policy Studies at the University of Wisconsin, Madison, where she developed her interests in educational inequalities and critical theory. She has used cases in her own teaching and conducts research on learning to teach, professional development, culturally-responsive teaching, and education policy.

Kristie Jones Newton is assistant professor in the Department of Curriculum, Instruction, and Technology in Education at Temple University whose research and teaching focuses on mathematics education. As a graduate student at the University of Maryland, she participated extensively in the development and conduct of the High-Quality Teaching study, contributed significantly to the selection and writing of the cases, piloted the cases in her undergraduate math methods class, and wrote commentaries for the Facilitator's Guide.

Review:

These math classroom cases are short and to the point – ideal for a focused class discussion about a specific pedagogical principle or teaching dilemma. I especially appreciated the multiple ways in which the cases are classified – it makes it easier for a teacher educator to decide which ones to use and for what purposes. I also liked the diversity in instructional settings – and especially appreciated having some cases portraying classes with students with disabilities and limited English proficiency. (Raffaella Borasi, dean and Frederica Warner Professor of Education, University of Rochester)

All the cases in this groundbreaking book have the characteristics of good cases: they portray real events, involve engaging characters, convey on-the-spot decisions made by the teachers, and call for critical evaluation. Graeber and Valli provide the community, not only with good cases but also with thoughtful reflections, in the form of short commentaries, by a variety of relevant voices and various perspectives. I am eager to use these cases in my own teacher education courses. (Dina Tirosh, Tel-Aviv University, Israel)

Interest in improving the mathematics proficiency of US schoolchildren continues to build, as evidenced by many states' recent adoption of the Common Core State Standards. While many works address the theoretical and practical underpinnings needed to deliver exemplary math instruction, few explore how this looks in practice. To meet this need, Graeber (emer., Univ. of Maryland), Valli (Univ. of Maryland), and Newton (Temple Univ.) have written a collection of case studies. Each chapter provides a case study that explores a range of subject matter as delineated by standards, a variety of pedagogical approaches, and a mixture of instructor experience levels and learning settings. The standards covered explore subject matter including measurement, geometry, estimation, and basic operations. Metacognitive approaches such as scaffolding, accessing prior knowledge and addressing misconceptions, and using high-level questions and demanding multiple representations are shared. Learning settings include advanced, English as a second language, and intervention settings. The case studies are brief and are followed by guiding questions and teacher commentaries that give a professional perspective. Realistic and practical. Summing Up: Highly recommended. General readers, undergraduate students, and professionals. (CHOICE)

I would recommend this book to preservice teacher education programs to guide discussions surrounding math education. (Mathematics Teaching in the Middle School)

About this edition

• Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers
• Publication date: 2011
• ISBN 10: 1442211962
• ISBN 13: 9781442211964
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 194