Mathematics curriculum reform and teachers: Understanding the connections

Ethnographic research was conducted to study the process of evaluation and implementation of 4 standards-based curricular materials by 66 middle school mathematics teachers at 12 different school districts over a period of 2 years. The data revealed that what teachers knew about mathematics content and innovative pedagogical practices and their personal theories about learning and teaching mathematics were the greatest influences on how they valued and implemented the programs. Moreover, the environments within which teachers worked were instrumental in their use of the materials. The problems teachers faced as they taught the curriculum included lack of sufficient time for planning, lack of conceptual understanding of mathematics concepts, inadequate knowledge base about how to bridge the gap between teaching for understanding and mastery of basic skills, and lack of professional support and progressive leadership.