Beginning teachers (BTs) are increasingly expected to teach ambitiously from day one. However, they continue to face classroom management challenges. This study presents case studies of two elementary BTs that explore (1) the relationship between BTs' management and instructional practices in mathematics and English language arts and (2) its…

In this study, we decomposed the broad practice of deciphering multiple solution strategies. We conducted interviews with 11 preservice elementary teachers, in which we asked teachers to decipher students' standard and nonstandard strategies to multiplication and division problems. We examined what teachers said and did--what we refer to as…

Understanding and analyzing data is a crucial aspect of quantitative literacy in the 21st century, leading scholars and policy makers to push for more rigorous instruction in this area rooted in statistical investigation. In this study, we examine 144 upper-elementary mathematics lessons on data and statistics topics to assess the extent to which…

Understanding and analyzing data is a crucial aspect of quantitative literacy in the 21st century, leading scholars and policy makers to push for more rigorous instruction in this area rooted in statistical investigation. In this study, we examine 144 upper-elementary mathematics lessons on data and statistics topics to assess the extent to which…

In this study, we decomposed the broad practice of deciphering multiple solution strategies. We conducted interviews with 11 preservice elementary teachers, in which we asked teachers to decipher students' standard and nonstandard strategies to multiplication and division problems. We examined what teachers said and did--what we refer to as…

Using restricted-use data from the 2011 National Assessment of Educational Progress mathematics assessment, the current study examined the relationship between the presence of elementary mathematics coaches and specialists (MCSs) and the mathematics achievement of more than 190,000 fourth-grade students in more than 7,400 schools nationwide. In…

The purpose of this longitudinal study was to investigate the relationships between mathematics teacher preparation and graduates' analyses of classroom teaching. Fifty-three graduates from an elementary teacher preparation program completed 4 video-based, analysis-of-teaching tasks in the semester before graduation and then in each of the 3…

Central to ambitious teaching is a constellation of practices we have come to call "leveraging student thinking." In leveraging, teachers position students' understanding and reasoning as a central means to drive learning forward. While leveraging typically is described as a feature of mature practice, in this article we examine…

Many districts are using content-focused coaching as a strategy to provide job-embedded support to teachers. However, the current coaching literature provides little guidance on what coaches need to know and be able to do to engage teachers in activities that will support their development of ambitious instructional practices. Furthermore, little…

This study analyzed children's generalized perceptions of teacher interpersonal behavior in terms of two dimensions, control and affiliation, referring to the degree of teacher leadership/ management and teacher friendliness friendliness/cooperation in the classroom, respectively. An adapted version of the Questionnaire on Teacher Interaction was…

This study highlights the connections between two facets of teachers' skills--those supporting teachers' mathematical instructional interactions and those underlying social interactions within the classroom. The impact of the Responsive Classroom (RC) approach and use of RC practices on the use of standards-based mathematics teaching practices was…

This study explored a group of elementary teachers' ("n" = 35) learning to construct high-quality lesson plans that foster student understanding of fundamental mathematical ideas. The conceptual framework for this study was gleaned from the recently released Institute of Education Sciences (IES) recommendations, including (a)…

This study draws on the theoretical underpinnings of the research literature in identity and investigates the transition from experienced teacher to novice mathematics coach. The 4 components of a math coach's identity (coach as supporter of teachers, coach as supporter of students, coach as learner, and coach as supporter of the school-at-large)…

Although teachers' knowledge is thought to contribute to the selection and implementation of mathematical tasks, empirical evidence supporting this claim is scarce. To investigate this relationship and understand its nature, this exploratory study examines the unfolding of tasks in a series of lessons led by 2 elementary school teachers who…

Recent education reform has emphasized the importance of teacher learning in improving classroom instruction and raising student achievement. This article focuses on teachers' learning opportunities, including formal professional development and on-the-job learning that occurs through interactions with colleagues. Using data from 30 elementary…