Developing Mathematical Proficiency for Elementary Instruction

Strengthening the mathematical skills of elementary school teachers is a goal that educators and researchers in the United States and elsewhere have pursued for a long time. Yet the particular competencies these teachers need, and how those competencies develop over time, have received only partial conceptual attention and little rigorous empirical testing. To address this gap, organizers at Texas A&M University held national workshops that brought together mathematicians, mathematics educators, and classroom teachers for focused conversation on the subject.

This volume collects articles that emerged from those workshop discussions, which crossed disciplinary lines. The articles examine the aspects of mathematical proficiency that matter most to elementary teachers at two connected stages of their careers: first as pre-service students in a teacher preparation program, and later as in-service teachers working with mathematics in elementary classrooms.

The book is aimed at teacher educators, researchers, and practitioners who want to reconsider their own approaches to preparing and supporting elementary teachers, both mathematically and pedagogically.