This book is about the promotion of all-attainment teaching in the mathematics classroom. The book contains the individual stories of six teachers working in three different schools: an inner London comprehensive with a largely working class intake, a comprehensive on the south coast and a rural comprehensive in Cambridgeshire. Each story describes and explains in brief the background of the teacher and how each came to teach all-attainment groups in mathematics. The research reported in this book is the only close examination and analysis of the practices and methodologies of successful all-attainment educators in the modern age. Three major themes are identified and examined: what sustains the teachers; how they introduce, develop and maintain all-attainment teaching; and how they make all-attainment work in the classroom.
From an analysis of these findings, the book presents two interrelated models of the knowledge and understandings the research has generated. The first one is an overarching model of situation and horizon. Used as a means of visualizing and understanding the current situation for teachers, it can aid in encouraging change for the better. The second model offers teachers a way to think of all-attainment teaching as an enabler for all students, most especially for disadvantaged students. Both models have original and explanatory power and offer new ways of conceptualizing how mathematics teaching for social justice might be understood and implemented, offering fresh perspectives and unique insights. As such it will be of help to students at undergraduate, Masters and doctoral level and to education researchers more widely.
Author(s): Colin Jackson
Publisher: Springer
Year: 2022
Language: English
Pages: 213
City: Cham
Preface
Acknowledgements
Contents
List of Photos
List of Figures
List of Appendices
Chapter 1: Backstory: Growing Up Working-Class in Northern Ireland: Schooling Not Education
Northern Ireland: A Sectarian State
Experiences of Schooling: Parents, Relatives, My Primary School and the 11 Plus
Pedagogy and the Grammar School
Problematising My Schooling
After School
Being an Educator
References
Chapter 2: Introduction
Why My Backstory Is Important in This Book?
The Context in Which the Research Took Place
Social Justice and Mathematics
What I Set Out to Achieve Through the Research
The Book Chapters
References
Chapter 3: Class, Schooling and the Legitimation of Inequality
Introduction
Education for … Society or the Individual? Post-war Mass Schooling: Educating the Workers
Post 1976: The Era of Neoliberalism
References
Chapter 4: Class, “ability” Groups and Mathematics in English Secondary Schools
Introduction
Current Patterns of Attainment
“Ability” Grouping as a Social Justice Issue
Some “ability” Grouping Practices
Class and “ability”
Student Attainment, “intelligence” and the Idea of “ability”
“Ability” Grouping and Levels of Attainment
Allocation of Children to “ability” Groups
“Ability”: Beliefs and Practices of Teachers
“Ability” Grouping: Concluding Remarks
References
Chapter 5: Methodological and Method Considerations
Introduction
My Methodology
Philosophical Approaches Underpinning My Methodology
Critical Theory
Issues of Rigour, Reliability and Validity in Critical Theory Research
Gadamer
Gramsci
Research Design
Choosing Interviews
Designing the Interviews
Finding the Participants: The Sample
References
Chapter 6: Data Collection, Processing and Analysis
Data Collection
Refining My Research Question
Approach to Data Analysis
Storytelling
The Use of Storytelling
My Storytelling
A Second Analytical Strand: Using Thematic Analysis
Thematic Analysis
About Thematic Analysis
Thematic Analysis: The Process
References
Chapter 7: Introducing the Teachers
The Teachers’ Stories
Pete
Philippa
Bob
Final Word from Bob
Sarah
Adara
Akhila
Ethical Considerations
References
Chapter 8: The Teachers: What Sustains Them
The Teachers and Mathematics
An Interest in Research and/or Curriculum Development
Experiences Prior to Qualifying as Teachers
The Teachers: Relationship to “ability” Thinking
Expectations About Achievement and Implications for Curriculum Content
Student Attainment and Enjoyment of Mathematics
References
Chapter 9: Introducing, Developing and Maintaining All-Attainment While Convincing Others
Introduction
The Need for Support
Support from Above
Support from Colleagues
Convincing Others
Convincing by Example
Convincing by Data and Research
Difficulties and Failure to Convince
Collaborative Approach to Curriculum Planning and Creating Resources
References
Chapter 10: How the Teachers Make All-Attainment Work in the Classroom
The Role, Influence and Nature of Assessment
Approach to Teaching
Understanding Rather than Rules
Critical Thinking Beyond Mathematics
Collaboration and Creative Planning
Teacher Methods: How the Students Work
Type of Task
Learning How to Learn
Critical Thinking, Independence and Responsibility in Mathematics Learning
Time
Exploration and Inquiry
Talk
Groupwork
References
Chapter 11: Conclusion
The Purpose of My Research
Key Findings
Transformative Pedagogy
Discussion
The Teachers’ Situation
The Teachers, Their Intentions and What They Do
Cornerstone One: Mathematics
Cornerstone Two: Community
Cornerstone Three: Independence
The Apex Cornerstone: Critical Thinking
Implications for Practice
Limitations of Study
Suggestions for Further Research
References
Appendices
Appendix 1: Research Papers from Doctoral Research
Appendix 2: Ethics Documents
Consent Form
Participant Information Sheet: Interviews
Letter to School
References
Index
