Daniel J. Brahier
Department of Educational Curriculum & Instruction
Bowling Green State University
Bowling Green, OH 43403

MAY 1997

MUSINGS ON INTERNATIONAL COMPARISONS

In the previous issue of the RCDPM Newsletter, we discussed the case of "Amy," an undergraduate mathematics methods student who surprised her professor during "finals week" when she expressed a lack of confidence that she had always felt toward mathematics and told him that the methods course had still not helped her to overcome her fear of teaching mathematics. We raised the question of what the professor might have done to help her, had Amy's lack of confidence become apparent early in the course.

In response to the questions about Amy, "Doc" Dockweiler responded,

"In an earlier time, I would routinely interview each teacher candidate as they entered the elementary math methods class and as they exited. Those sessions were to get acquainted but also provided a tremendous amount of insight into the disposition of the each of the students. It occurred to me that I might have found out about Amy's difficulties in that early session and could have been more aware. As numbers in the classes grew crazy, it became apparent that individual interview would not be practical, unfortunately. I resorted more to interacting with small groups during lab activities to maintain some element of personal contact, but it was not as helpful."

Similarly, David Pugalee writes,

"It [is] essential for teachers and teacher educators to consider how their own viewpoints have developed and how their experiences have shaped their dispositions. The development of positive views and beliefs about mathematics necessitates experiences which foster and nurture positive affective frameworks. Additionally, individuals need to take time to reflect on how these experiences interact with their current belief system and how they can effect change . . . Modeling of appropriate mathematics teaching is imperative if students are to become expert teachers tomorrow. Novice teachers do not have a developed repertoire of appropriate mental scenarios to guide them in making effective instructional and management decisions (Swafford, 1995) . . . It should be the goal of methods courses for students to experience mathematics in meaningful process oriented lessons and that they be afforded opportunities to practice such processes. This is the beginning of a foundation which will impel mathematics reform."

Dixie Metheny uses journals in her classes to encourage the type of reflection that David talked about. She stated that

"I have a special situation, because I teach both content and methods. I work very hard to help the students overcome their anxieties in the content class . . . In our methods class we have the students talk about their feelings in their journals so we have a good idea whether they feel anxious or confident."