This paper focuses on the definitions and the mis-out and mis-in examples of rational numbers that four prospective elementary teachers presented while working on rational number assignments. The participants were first asked to respond, individually, to an Individual Rational Number Assignment, consisting of items aiming at detecting their…

Despite interest in how students' implicit theories--their growth and fixed mindsets about their own learning--affect students as learners, relatively little research on mindset has looked at "teachers" as learners. This study explores elementary teachers' implicit theories about the malleability of mathematics intelligence and teaching…

In the primary grades, engaging in counting collections provides students with regular opportunities to make sense of numbers in dynamic ways, build social skills, and communicate about mathematics. This article aims to guide elementary educators through a team's process of planning and implementing counting collections in kindergarten. Counting…

This study examined 11 U.S. textbooks written for prospective teachers to investigate how standard decimal multiplication and division algorithms are presented, especially the rationale of both algorithms. Analytical frameworks of various methods used in different textbooks were developed. The findings suggest that half of the textbooks do not…

The Great Mini-Golf Project requires students to use a ruler to identify measurements to the quarter-inch, with careful precision and accuracy, which supported the Standards for Mathematical Practice 5 and 6: using appropriate tools to solve mathematical problems with precision (NGA Center & CCSSO, 2010). This project also supported Standard…

Natural language is known to play a crucial and specific role for children's learning in school mathematics. Not only does it carry special vocabulary, but subtle differences between natural languages may lead to surprising challenges, for instance, for learners who are not taught mathematics in their mother tongue. In this paper, the…

Although there have been a huge number of attempts to improve school algebra teaching, several countries are still struggling to improve students algebraic skills. In this study, we focus on the specific case of Sweden where students for several decades have had major problems mastering algebra. In order to get a better understanding of the…

This article aims to illustrate how the collective resolution of routine mathematical tasks can give rise to uncertainties, fostering and supporting a rich and authentic mathematical activity. While solving routine tasks may not typically be classified as problem-solving, the research presented in this paper shows that, at the collective level,…

Purpose: The purpose of the study was to gather data to determine whether instructional coaching partnerships can improve teachers' implementation of learned mathematics instructional strategies. Teachers are willing to learn and implement new mathematics strategies after professional development sessions to see better student learning results.…

Teachers' actions matter greatly in the mathematics classroom, but it is not always clear what guides their actions or from where they come. As teachers strive to create rich and engaging learning environments, how they capitalize on a particular moment is often unclear. Sometimes just identifying potential pathways to take can be challenging. In…

Educational escape rooms (ER) are an instructional activity designed to incorporate many elements of recreational ERs, which have become popular in recent years. There are many reasons to consider incorporating educational ERs into K-12 math instruction or after-school programs/camps. First, they are highly motivating for students because they…

Education has always been and will continue to be the key that unlocks doors of opportunity and success for all. Our national test scores, over the last several decades, reveal that a majority of America's students are failing to meet academic benchmarks and standards, thus limiting the possibilities for opportunity. Mathematics, in particular,…

This study was conducted to determine the use of school gardens, one of the out-of-school learning environments, by elementary school mathematics teachers in their lessons. The case study method is a qualitative research method that allows a topic to be addressed in detail. It was preferred in this study in accordance with the purpose. 27…

The mathematical modeling process is also a powerful way to teach students the meaning of data. In mathematical modeling, students are collecting data to answer a question. Data collection is the means to an end and not the end in itself. The author was looking for an engaging way to introduce his third-grade mathematics class to the skill of…

This paper examines how different approaches in mathematics education conceptualise the relationship between school mathematics and university mathematics. The approaches considered here include: (a) Klein's elementary mathematics from a higher standpoint; (b) Shulman's transformation of disciplinary subject matter into subject matter for…