New Classroom Rules to Promote

¶ … New Classroom Rules to Promote Preservice Elementary Teachers' Mathematics Learning," John k. Alsup proposes new means of teaching math to preservice school teachers. According to the author, who bases his findings on thirteen years of first-hand experience working as a college-level mathematics teacher as well as clinical literature, the traditional means of teaching math can be counterproductive. University mathematics courses aimed for aspiring teachers are taught in "traditional, lecture-recitation format," (602). In this format, students are not told how to apply mathematical concepts to creative problem-solving situations. Instructors are thus "preoccupied with procedures and based upon lectures," (609). Rote learning is not only ineffective in getting preservice elementary teachers to pass on adequate understanding of the subject; rote learning also creates enormous amounts of anxiety within the preservice school teachers. Alsup claims that because of traditional teaching methods in university, "preservice elementary teachers have a weak, fragmented knowledge of mathematics" and considerable "mathematics anxiety," (610). Rote learning is not engaging the students because it does not place math within a meaningful context. If preservice elementary teachers are not inspired by math they will not entirely grasp the mathematical concepts. Consequently, their elementary school students will also be uninspired by math and demonstrate weakened math skills.

Alsup continues, "There is a strong interconnectedness with regard to conceptual understanding, mathematics anxiety, and memorization," (610). As an alternative, Alsup suggests that university mathematics instructors who are teaching preservice elementary school instructors should follow a new set of classroom rules. These classroom rules need to rely "less on arbitrary, memorized facts and rules," (610). Alsup bases the new set of classroom rules for teaching math to preservice elementary instructors on the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics' Principles and Standards for School Mathematics. The classroom rules and guidelines are designed to stimulate creativity and communication rather than rote learning. They are basically an "overhaul of mathematics instruction," (611).

The major points Alsup discusses in his article include the background information as to why traditional instruction falls short of the ideal, and includes the seven new rules for preservice elementary teachers' mathematics instruction. These seven rules are based on the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics and on what Alsup calls a "constructivist view of mathematics learning." According to the constructivist view, the teacher does not directly "transmit" mathematical knowledge and facts to the students; rather, students construct their own set of mathematical knowledge through active and creative problem solving (611).