A PRESERVICE MATHEMATICS TEACHER’S REFLECTIONS AND REFLECTIVE PRACTICES FOCUSING ON STUDENTS’ LEARNING

Abstract

How reflections facilitated a preservice mathematics teacher’s thinking about students’ learning was explored by focusing on (i) what one preservice mathematics teacher studying in a two-year alternative non-typical Teacher Certification Program reflected about students’ learning in the context of Practice Teaching, and (ii) how these reflections were revealed in her teaching. Data were gathered through pre- and post-observation conferences (meetings) with the participant based on her observations of 32 lessons and the documents she produced. Inductive coding based on Schön’s (1987) reflection-on-action and reflection-in-action framework revealed that the participant's reflections-on-action were about how and what she should improve in her knowledge and practice to address students' learning better, and her reflections-in-action were about how to modify her teaching to address students' differences. She improved her practice gradually based on these reflections, and the focus of these reflections changed throughout the process. The study showed that mentors and experienced teachers could be instrumental in this process, and systematic, continuous, and supported reflections provide development in reflective practice considering student learning.