Spoon-feeding to tongue-biting and beyond: implementing a reform approach to mathematics teaching in an Irish primary school
Treacy, Maria (Mia)
(2015)
Spoon-feeding to tongue-biting and beyond: implementing a reform approach to mathematics teaching in an Irish primary school.
Doctor of Education thesis, Dublin City University.
This research aimed to examine teachers' experiences whilst implementing a reform
approach to mathematics teaching in an Irish primary school In particular, it aimed to
examine the constraints and affordances pertaining to changing mathematics practice in this
case study school The school engaged in professional development that focused on using an
instructional framework (Hiebert et al, 1997) in the school-identified strand units of length
and weight. Four classes were tracked throughout the study and each class acted as a subcase
within the larger study. Data collected through lesson observations, teacher interviews,
pupil work samples, and focus group interviews with pupils were used to compare teachers ’
experiences and to identify what supported and enabled them to change their practice, in
addition to highlighting challenges that may have prevented such change. Findings were that
shifts in practice were evident in the strand units of length and weight to different degrees in
the four classes during the study. Teachers reported that tailored professional development,
peer support, and the use and refinement of an instructional framework contributed to
enabling them in changing their mathematics teaching. Factors that may have restricted the
potential for embedding and enhancing this changing practice included a textbook dependent
culture, teacher discomfort with facilitation, and possible limitations regarding the
professional development. Possible implications of this study include the need for schools to
have a number o f factors in place for the successful implementation of a reform approach to
mathematics teaching including peer support, tailored professional development, and a focus
on a specific area o f the mathematics curriculum. Furthermore, this study highlights the need
for all stakeholders to consider textbook dependency, teacher facilitations skills, and the
timing and content o f professional development when implementing a reform approach to
mathematics teaching.