Description
Book SynopsisEngaging 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
Trade ReviewThese 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 *
Table of ContentsPreface Alternative Thematic Frameworks Introduction Part I: The Teaching of Mathematics - Lesson Cases Case 1: Promoting One of the Meanings of Multiplication: Requesting Alternate Methods in Order to Foster Understanding Case 2: Fractions, Decimals and Percents: Evoking Student Reasoning Commentary: A Teacher Educator Perspective Case 3: Getting a Sense of Grams: Building Conceptual Understanding Commentary: A Teacher Educator Perspective Case 4: Converting Among Customary Units of Measure: Attending to Students' Developmental Levels Commentary: A Teacher's Perspective Case 5: Converting Units Within a System of Measurement: Encouraging Resourcefulness Commentary: An English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) Perspective Case 6: Distinguishing Between Area and Perimeter: Using Multiple Representations to Aid Discrimination Case 7: Exploring the Meanings of "Volume": Recognizing a Word's Everyday Meaning and its Mathematical Meaning Commentary: An English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) Perspective Commentary: A Teacher's Perspective Case 8: The Importance of Sample Size: Posing High Level Questions to Build Understanding Commentary: A Teacher's Perspective Case 9: Continuous versus Discrete Data: Using Concept Attainment to Define Mathematical Terms Part II: Perspectives on Teaching - Commentaries Learner-Centered Psychological Principles Moral Perspectives on Teaching Perspective from the Special Education Math Literature A Principal's Perspective References List of Contributors
