An Exploratory Analysis of Pre-service Middle School Teachers’ Mathematical Arguments
Zambak, V. S., & Magiera, M. T. (2015). An Exploratory Analysis of Pre-service Middle School Teachers’ Mathematical Arguments. In T. Bartell, K., Bieda, R. Putnam, K. Bradfield, & H. Dominguez (Eds.). Proceedings of the 37th annual meeting of the North American Chapter of the International Group for the Psychology of Mathematics Education. 428, East Lansing, MI: Michigan State University.
Calls for increased focus on mathematical argumentation in school mathematics are critical for teacher educators charged with preparing prospective K-8 teachers (PST) to foster mathematical argumentation in their future classrooms. This is because research suggests that middle school years are crucial for students to gain proficiency in creating and critiquing mathematical arguments. Supporting PSTs’ strong understanding of what it means to do mathematics necessitates that teacher preparation programs place an emphasis on mathematical and pedagogical preparation that facilitates PSTs’ strong understanding of mathematical argumentation and proving in school mathematics.