Developing Mathematical Knowledge for Teaching Teachers: A Model for the Professional Development of Teacher Educators

Abstract

We know little about what teacher educators need to know in order to develop preservice teachers’ knowledge of mathematics in ways needed for teaching. As part of a two-year professional development project for teacher educators, and drawing from research on features of high quality professional development programs, we propose a model for the professional development of teacher educators that has the following features central to its design: learning is grounded in the content of teaching and learning, activities create disequilibrium for participants, encourages collaboration among participants, and learning is embedded in the work of teaching teachers. Thus, teacher educator learning is not tied to one specific approach, but rather it is grounded in the work of teaching preservice teachers.