Living Within the Tensions: The Impact of Conflicting Visions of Equity-oriented Mathematics Teaching on Teacher Learning

Abstract

Though much has been written about the disconnect between the vision of teaching offered in teacher preparation programs and typical practice in K-12 schools, there is little research about the lived experiences of teachers as they attempt to reconcile the contradictions they encounter across these spaces. This paper reports on one case from a design-based study aimed at supporting beginning elementary school teachers toward ambitious and equitable mathematics teaching. I investigate the experience of Marie as she attempted to enact her commitments to building an asset-based classroom math community while immersed in a school context focused on identifying and fixing students’ individual mathematical deficits. Findings indicate that though Marie remained committed to this vision, her learning was heavily constrained by her school activity system, resulting in a steep personal cost for Marie. This case has implications for the analysis and design of equity-oriented teacher learning across the transition into teaching.