This book provides examples of the ways in which 9-12 grade mathematics
teachers from across North America are engaging in research. It offers a
glimpse of the questions that capture the attention of teachers, the
methodologies that they use to gather data, and the ways in which they
make sense of what they find. The focus of these teachers'
investigations into mathematics classrooms ranges from students'
understanding of content to pedagogical changes to social issues.
Underlying the chapters is the common goal of enabling students to
develop a deep understanding of the mathematics they learn in their
classrooms. By opening their analysis of their classroom practice to our
inspection, these courageous teachers have invited us to think along
with them and to learn more about our own teaching as a result. By
sharing their work, they have given the mathematics education community
an important opportunity. Everyone who reads this book-teachers,
researchers, teacher-researchers, policy makers, administrators, and
others interested in mathematics education-can learn from the findings
and the light that they shed on issues important to mathematics
education. This book, and the series of which it is a part, also
provides the opportunity to step back and reflect on what can be learned
about research from teachers who have engaged in the process. Areas of
insight include: (a) the importance of collaboration and participation
in communities that value research, (b) the potential of teacher
research as a way to warrant teacher practice, (c) the power of video
and other artifacts of teaching to support classroom inquiry, (d)
connections between teaching and research, and (e) the publication
process as professional development.
