Studying Classroom Teaching as a Medium for Professional Development

The Mathematical Sciences Education Board (MSEB) and the U.S. National Commission on Mathematics Instruction (USNCMI) took advantage of a unique opportunity to bring educators together. In August 2000, following the Ninth International Congress on Mathematics Education (ICME-9) in Makuhari, Japan, MSEB and USNCMI capitalized on the presence of mathematics educators in attendance from the United States and Japan by holding a two and a half-day workshop on the professional development of mathematics teachers. This workshop used the expertise of the participants from the two countries to develop a better, more flexible, and more useful understanding of the knowledge that is needed to teach well and how to help teachers to obtain this knowledge. A major focus of the workshop was to discuss teachers' opportunities in both societies-using teaching practice as a medium for professional development. Another focus of the workshop addressed practice by considering the records of teaching, including videos of classroom lessons and cases describing teachers and their work. These proceedings reflect the activities and discussion of the workshop using both print and video to enable others to share in their experienceTable of ContentsFront MatterIntroductionReflections on the WorkshopBackground Context for Teacher Preparation in the United States andin JapanLesson Study as Professional DevelopmentProfessional Development Through the Use of Records of PracticeMathematical Knowledge of Teachers PanelSmall Group DiscussionAppendix A: Workshop AgendaAppendix B: Participant ListAppendix C: Steering Committee Biographical InformationAppendix D: A Plan for the Lesson on Division by a Two-Digit NumberAppendix E: A Demonstration Lesson: Function Thinking at SixthGradeAppendix F: A Study Lesson: Large Numbers at Fourth GradeAppendix G: Records of Instruction: Reasoning About Three Coins atThird GradeAppendix H: Transcript of Excerpts from Small Group DiscussionsAppendix I: A Written Case: Pattern Trains at Sixth GradeAppendix J: To Become a Mathematics TeacherAppendix K: GlossaryAppendix L: Workshop Reading ListAppendix M: References