Encouraging Preservice Mathematics Teachers as Mathematicians

2007 ◽  
Vol 100 (7) ◽  
pp. 464-469
Author(s):  
Elizabeth A. Burroughs
Keyword(s):  
Mathematics Teachers ◽  
Secondary Mathematics ◽  
Natural Numbers ◽  
Secondary Mathematics Teachers ◽  
Physical Representation ◽  
Preservice Mathematics Teachers

An assignment that asks preservice secondary mathematics teachers to make connections between the mathematics they know and the mathematics they will teach. It describes how one preservice teacher's project resulted in a physical representation of the statement and proof that the sum of cubes of the first n natural numbers is equal to the square of their sum.

Improving Preservice Secondary Mathematics Teachers' Capability With Generic Example Proofs

2014 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
pp. 158-170 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shiv Karunakaran ◽  
Ben Freeburn ◽  
Nursen Konuk ◽  
Fran Arbaugh
Keyword(s):  
Preservice Teachers ◽  
Mathematics Teachers ◽  
Secondary Mathematics ◽  
Policy Documents ◽  
Secondary Mathematics Teachers ◽  
Narrow Focus ◽  
Preservice Mathematics Teachers

Preservice mathematics teachers are entrusted with developing their future students' interest in and ability to do mathematics effectively. Various policy documents place an importance on being able to reason about and prove mathematical claims. However, it is not enough for these preservice teachers, and their future students, to have a narrow focus on only one type of proof (demonstration proof), as opposed to other forms of proof, such as generic example proofs or pictorial proofs. This article examines the effectiveness of a course on reasoning and proving on preservice teachers' awareness of and abilities to recognize and construct generic example proofs. The findings support assertions that such a course can and does change preservice teachers' capability with generic example proofs.

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