In our mathematics methods courses for elementary preservice teachers, we work to uncover and confront students' understandings as well as misconceptions about important mathematical topics. Karp and colleagues' ("Teaching Children Mathematics", 21(1), 18-25) "13 Rules That Expire" article has been a useful resource for us to…

Because of their brief nature, vignettes are a strategic way to highlight or explore complex instructional practices. Using a qualitative approach, we examined how the use of vignettes in a Vignette Activity Sequence contributed to secondary mathematics preservice teachers' understanding of the Mathematical Practices and the Mathematics Teaching…

Teaching is an interactive process in which teachers gather information, analyze the results, and construct a response based on this diagnosis (Cooney, 1988). Considering alternatives in constructing a response, that is, making an instructional decision, is of great importance in teaching. How might mathematics teacher educators provide…

This research is concerned with preservice teacher understanding of six earth and space science concepts that are often taught in elementary school: the reason for seasons, phases of the moon, why the wind blows, the rock cycle, soil formation, and earthquakes. Specifically, this study examines the effect of readings, hands-on learning stations,…