A Lesson Plan Intervention for Preservice Elementary Teachers: Bridging Mathematical Content from a Methods Course to Student Teaching

Abstract

When preservice elementary teachers (PSETs) begin their student teaching placements, they often encounter challenges in bridging from their mathematics methods course content and pedagogies to their student teaching classrooms. In this study I examined the experiences of three PSETs at a Midwestern United States Christian college as they engaged in a lesson plan intervention (LPI) that integrated elements of Cognitively Guided Instruction (CGI) (Carpenter, Fennema, Loef-Franke, Levi, & Empson, 2015) into their lesson plans and enacted lessons. I studied the LPI to examine its implementation as a bridge from mathematics methods courses to student teaching practices. The purpose of the LPI was to help PSETs elicit, interpret, and leverage student mathematical thinking during large-group, problem-solving lessons to build students’ number sense. Using data from lesson observations, LPI training sessions, lesson plan analysis, interviews, and conversations, I used a constant comparative approach to understand PSETs’ experiences (Cohen, Manion, & Morrison, 2011; Glaser & Strauss, 2017; Miles, Huberman, & Saldana, 2014). Findings indicate that the LPI had differing effects on PSETs’ practices in integrating CGI elements into their lesson plans and enacted lessons in their student teaching placement classrooms.