Mathematics teacher leaders (MTLs) support improvements in mathematics instruction for both students and teachers (Rigelman, 2017). No matter their positioning, MTLs play an integral role in working alongside school and district leaders to develop and implement a school-wide vision for effective mathematics instruction (Polly, 2012). This study explores the impact of professional development (PD) for MTLs that we, as mathematics teacher educators, facilitated within graduate MTL courses. The following questions guided the overall study: (1) What specialized knowledge is exhibited during an MTL rehearsal?; and (2) To what extent is this knowledge aligned with the Coaching Knowledge and Skills Framework (Sutton et al., 2011) and the mathematics teacher educators’ intentions? Presented here are select findings of our analysis of the MTL teacher educator goals and related MTL learning.

Designing and Assessing MTL Learning

MTL teacher educators face challenges in structuring and assessing learning opportunities, similar to those faced by pre-service teacher educators. They must consider the possibilities and limitations of approaches and tools selected to support and document candidate learning. Yet, MTL teacher educators are preparing individuals for widely varied roles, including work with students, adults, or a combination, and unlike pre-service teacher educators, for MTL teacher educators there is a relative lack of specificity of high-leverage MTL practices (Baker et al., 2017; Gibbons & Cobb, 2017). Additionally, many MTL programs are in their infancy, and the assessment and evaluation plans may not yet be fully developed (Rigelman, 2017).

Given these challenges, the field needs to develop and examine the efficacy of MTL professional development that attends to common problems of practice found in their daily work, much like practice-based professional development does for teachers (Smith, 2001). Because MTLs often act as instructional leaders and supporters of school-wide learning communities, their learning needs revolve around understanding the complexities of facilitating professional development as well as advocating for, modeling, and using effective and equitable teaching practices. Finally, MTLs need to assist teachers and administrators with becoming more knowledgeable about high quality mathematics instruction. All of these competencies require unique skills and the development of leadership identity. Engagement with “problems of practice” central to this work provides practice-based professional learning for MTLs and research opportunities.  

MTL Rehearsals

In designing our MTL learning experiences, we drew from a promising pedagogy in teacher education: the use of rehearsals as approximations of practice (Lampert et al., 2013). Existing rehearsal literature centers on developing teacher content and pedagogical knowledge and defines rehearsals as “opportunities to rehearse and develop discrete components of complex practices in settings of reduced complexity” (Grossman & McDonald, 2008, p. 190). While MTLs can benefit from rehearsals, it is essential that the resultant learning also connects to the leadership knowledge (AMTE, 2013) essential for MTLs. As a result, MTL teacher educators should consider ways to engage MTLs with deliberate practicing of difficult parts of MTLs’ work. 

Method and Context

This study explored the impact of MTL PD facilitated by MTL teacher educators. The MTL teacher educators’ primary goals of the PD learning experiences were: 1) to support intentional planning of a rehearsal centered on MTL learning using the MTL Rehearsal Planning Protocol (Baker et al., n.d.); and 2) to systematically document evidence of the resulting MTL learning.

MTL rehearsals were implemented across two sites (access all materials at https://bit.ly/3hP6v6q). Site A used Negotiating Teacher Access Rehearsal and included seven MTLs and two teacher educators. Site B implemented the MTL Advocacy Rehearsal and involved 14 MTLs and one teacher educator. The structure of MTL rehearsal enactment differed across sites, as all participants at Site A observed two MTLs enacting the MTL rehearsal, and all participants at Site B virtually experienced the MTL rehearsal in small group triads.

Data sources included the MTL Rehearsal Planning Protocol completed by each mathematics teacher educator, audio recordings and transcripts of implementation, and researcher notes. Additionally, participant reflections were collected that centered on their overall experience, professional learning, and specific takeaways. Data were analyzed using qualitatively and quantitatively means. We began with open coding and discovered variance in our language. We then applied the Coaching Knowledge and Skills Framework (Sutton et al., 2011) and used the eight domains to guide initial coding (e.g., relationships, leadership, communication). Nine additional primary codes were evident across data sources (e.g., rehearsal as a vehicle for learning). Collaborative conversations resulted in agreed upon examples/non-examples of each code.

Selected Results

Some of the findings of our analysis are presented here, first related to the goals of the MTL teacher educator, followed by examples of rehearsal enactment at the two sites.

MTL Teacher Educator Planning and Goals

For each site’s MTL rehearsal enactment the teacher educator’s goals were identified and ranked, showing differences in the intended goals (see Table 1). The findings indicate that across both enactments the teacher educators’ goals were observed, though not always in their intended priority level.

Table 1: Priority, Frequency, and Rank of Anticipated and Actual Teacher Educator Goals

The nature of the data sources across the two enactments could explain a portion of the variation of the findings. Specifically, at Site B, the MTL rehearsal was conducted in an online learning environment, with small groups capturing plans and reflecting within shared Google slides. The habits of group reflection developed across the two different site’s course may have influenced the results in several ways: (1) fewer total number of occurrences captured across enactments at Site B versus Site A (n=165 and 453, respectively); (2) differing number and access to debrief conversations as a data source (i.e., two rounds of rehearsal and debrief at Site A versus one at Site B); and (3) briefer statements about participants’ learning at Site B versus Site A, as their writing had to reflect the group as a whole instead of their own experience.

Resulting MTL Learning: Site A Enactment

Three participants played the roles of ‘MTL’ and ‘administrator’, with the administrator role played by the same person across the two enactments and the MTL played by two different individuals. The five remaining participants in each instance observed the enactments. The goal during this practicum class session was to apply knowledge gained in past courses as well as broaden the interpretation of “Are You Coaching Heavy or Light?” (Killion, 2008) to include interactions with administrators. Participants debriefed following each MTL rehearsal enactment. The ‘MTL’ believed she came across “strong” and recognized a parallel in reality. She questioned how others perceived her and reflected that her actions were informed by her belief that all school stakeholders are instructional leaders. The ‘administrator’ appreciated the MTL’s whole-school perspective and suggested that the MTL was merely doing her job. This exchange illustrates how a MTL-administrator team clearly communicated and established collaboration norms for their relationship in order to support a school’s mathematics program and develop a shared vision and mutual respect, all important dimensions of the work of MTLs.

Resulting MTL Learning: Site B Enactment

This MTL rehearsal was centered on the application of research-informed advocacy in conversations with school administrators and occurred in a graduate online learning environment. Two participants played the roles of ‘MTL’ and ‘administrator’, while the remaining participant in each triad observed. The rehearsal was created in response to one MTL’s wondering “How can I make a school-wide change?” The ‘MTL’ demonstrated knowledge of research and leadership when pressing the ‘administrator’ to consider non-standardized assessments, asking “Would you be willing to take a look at other measures?” She advocated for the MTL position when discussing her current and potential impact on teachers and students. In the debrief, the ‘MTL’ reflected, “It was stressful.” The triad collectively completed a written reflection that highlighted how the MTL advocated utilizing research and “measuring growth by more than summative data”. Additionally, the ‘MTL’ advocated for the school’s mathematics program by sharing “teachers’ instructional approaches and pedagogical knowledge have improved” and “manipulative use has increased.” This illustrates ways the MTLs’ strengthened their identities as leaders and were able to apply their developing confidence, knowledge, and skills to influence other school stakeholders.

Discussion and Implications

This intent of this study was an initial exploration of how MTL rehearsals support MTLs in developing specialized knowledge for advancing instructional practice. In our analysis we applied Sutton and colleagues’ (2011) framework and uncovered additional domains that warrant further exploration. One potentially promising aspect of our findings is that this work is practice-based, thus leading to clear implications for MTL and mathematics teacher educator practice. Further examination is needed to determine if specific MTL rehearsals are more effective in particular contexts, and how MTL learning needs differ across varied contexts. We offer our resources, such as the above mentioned planning protocol and MTL rehearsals, for others to apply to their own MTL teacher educator practice.

References

Association of Mathematics Teacher Educators [AMTE] (2013). Standards for elementary mathematics specialists: A reference for teacher credentialing and degree programs. Author.

Baker, C., Bailey, P., Larsen, S., & Galanti, T. (2017). A critical analysis of emerging high-leverage practices for mathematics specialists. In M. McGatha and N. Rigelman (Eds.). Elementary Mathematics Specialists (pp.183-192). Association of Mathematics Teacher Educators.

Baker, C., Rigelman, N., & Knapp, M. (n.d.). Mathematics Teacher Leader Rehearsal Planning Protocol. https://bit.ly/3hP6v6q. 

Gibbons, L. K., & Cobb, P. (2017). Focusing on teacher learning opportunities to identify potentially productive coaching activities. Journal of Teacher Education, 68(4), 411-425.

Grossman, P., & McDonald, M. (2008). Back to the future: Directions for research in teaching and teacher education. American Educational Research Journal. 45(1), 184-205.

Killion, J. (2008). Are you coaching heavy or light? Teachers Teaching Teachers, 3(8), 1-4.

Lampert, M., Franke, M., Kazemi, E., Ghousseini, H., Turrou, A.C., Beasley, H., Cunard, A., & Crowe, K. (2013). Keeping it complex: Using rehearsals to support novice teacher learning of ambitious teaching in elementary mathematics. Journal of Teacher Education, 64, 226- 243.

Polly, D. (2012). Supporting mathematics instruction with an expert coaching model. Mathematics Teacher Education and Development, 14(1), 78-93.

Rigelman, N. R. (2017). Evaluation of elementary mathematics specialist programs. In M. B. McGatha & N. R. Rigelman (Eds.), Elementary mathematics specialists: Developing, refining, and examining programs that support mathematics teaching and learning (pp. 211-217). Charlotte, NC: Information Age Publishing.

Smith, M. S. (2001). Practice-based professional development for teachers of mathematics. National Council of Teachers of Mathematics. 

Sutton, J. T., Burroughs, E. A., & Yopp, D. A. (2011). Coaching knowledge: Domains and definitions. Journal of Mathematics Education Leadership, 13(2), 12-20.