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Expanding the instructional triangle: conceptualizing mathematics teacher development

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Abstract

As mathematics educators think about teaching that promotes students’ opportunities to learn, attention must be given to the conceptualization of the professional development of teachers and those who teach teachers. In this article, we generalize and expand the instructional triangle to consider different interactions in a variety of teacher development contexts. We have done so by addressing issues of language for models of teachers’ professional development at different levels and by providing examples of situations in which these models can be applied. Through the expansion of our understanding and use of the instructional triangle we can further develop the concept of mathematics teacher development.

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Acknowledgments

The authors wish to acknowledge Jeremy Kilpatrick, University of Georgia, for comments on earlier drafts of this manuscript. The development of this article came in part from work and discussions within the National Science Foundation supported Center for Proficiency in Teaching Mathematics. The ideas expressed are those of the authors.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Mathematics, Clayton State University, 2000 Clayton State Boulevard, Morrow, GA, 30260, USA

    Kelli Nipper

  2. College of Education, University of Georgia, 105 Aderhold Hall, Athens, GA, 30602, USA

    Paola Sztajn

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  1. Kelli Nipper
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  2. Paola Sztajn
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Correspondence to Kelli Nipper.

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Nipper, K., Sztajn, P. Expanding the instructional triangle: conceptualizing mathematics teacher development. J Math Teacher Educ 11, 333–341 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10857-008-9082-z

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