Beginning mathematics teachers' purposes for making student thinking public

Although having students make their mathematical thinking public has become a commonly encouraged practice in U.S. schools, little is known about how teachers perceive this practice. This study examined 14 beginning mathematics teachers' thoughts about making student thinking public using a framework for assessing the extent to which a practice supports students' mathematical learning. Analysis of the data revealed nine themes in the teachers' purposes for making student thinking public, ranging from affective concerns to those that had the potential to transform student learning. The findings highlight the fact that teachers' and teacher educators' use of common terms to label pedagogical practices does not necessarily imply a common understanding of the purpose of those practices. Describing pedagogical practices in ways that highlight differences in the purposes for which they can be used is proposed as a way to contribute to improving both teachers' and teacher educators' classroom practices.