Introduction
The study will investigate the relationship between teachers’ beliefs about mathematics and their confidence to teach mathematics. The study will use quantitative research methods to interview 326 undergraduate teachers studying early childhood education (pre k-grade 4). The study will use formal interviews to send questions to the target population through emails. Analysis of the data will involve statistical methods.
Statement of the Problem
In order to come up with the best curriculum for teaching mathematics and also understand how teachers’ perceptions affect teaching mathematics, comprehensive research must be conducted. The research should find out the relationship between teachers’ perceptions towards teaching mathematics.
Goals and Objectives
- Goal: The study will help to understand the dominant beliefs that teachers have about mathematics and how this influence them while teaching in preschools (pre k-grade 4)
- Objective: The study will provide useful information to preschool curriculum developers to come up with an appropriate curriculum for both teachers and students.
Background
It is hard to define what entails good mathematics teaching in pre-school. What determines the best approach applied in teaching largely depends on the perception that teachers hold about mathematics. The study of mathematics in pre-school depends on their perception of mathematics. Previous studies have revealed that there is a close relationship between teachers’ beliefs about mathematics and the actual teaching in class. However, teacher knowledge about the subject could not be underestimated. Good teaching preschool demands a teacher to have a favorable teaching concept so as to give the kids relevant examples to their social and physical environment. Teachers who view their students’ mathematics as a product of the brain, develop a positive attitude towards mathematics, and thus believe the student will be able to come up with solutions. Solving this problem provides a cognitive process of thought by the student, therefore, sharpening their brain to solve the more intricate problem. Understanding and conceptualizing mathematics problems by the students depends on their emotional and cultural dimensions.
Design
The study will target a population of 326 undergraduate, early childhood teachers (Pre grade 4). The study will engage quantitative research method to conduct the research, where 20 formal questions will collect information from the teachers. Random sampling will pick teachers to be included in the research from 163 schools across in Atlanta State. The targeted teacher will come from diverse social, political and economical backgrounds. Each school’s selection is at random from a diverse background and will provide 2 teachers to be included in the study.
Project Timeline
The first part of the study will be the preparation part. Formal letters will be sent to the 163 schools selected, requesting them to provide two teachers to participate in the study. Another letter will be sent to the ministry of education in the state, requesting for legal permission, to conduct the study. A tour of the school will follow, to ensure that teachers selected can access internet and have an email. The 20 questions will be sent to be completed within 3 days and sent back via emails. Then after retrieving the emails the data will take a day to comply, crosscheck and stored waiting to be analyzed.
Anticipated Result
The study will produce varied result concerning teachers’ beliefs about mathematics and how it influences them in teaching. Although the teachers posses similar base of knowledge regarding mathematics, they come from different social, economic, political and cultural background. The teachers will reveal different approaches in practical teaching and as a result, produce a different result to the students.