Wilburne, Jane, Drew Polly, Dana Franz, & David A. Wagstaff (2018, October). Mathematics teachers’ implementation of high-leverage teaching practices: A Q-sort study. School Science and Mathematics, 118(6), 232-243.
Abstract: This paper presents the results of a Q-sort activity in which 38 grades 4-10 mathematics teachers reflected on their classroom teaching and ranked a set of teaching actions that support high-leverage mathematics teaching from most to least characteristic of their classroom teaching. Data analysis included examining the overall ranking of each teacher action as well as the overall ranking of the associated high-leverage teaching practice. Examination of the rankings indicated that teachers identified actions associated with the practices of "supporting productive struggle" in students’ learning of mathematics and "posing purposeful questions" as most characteristic of their teaching. Teachers identified actions associated with the practices of "eliciting and using evidence of student thinking" and "establishing mathematics goals to focus learning" as least characteristic of their teaching. Thematic networks were created to represent the teachers’ rationales for their priorities regarding implementation of high-leverage teaching practices. We share the implications of our findings for the mathematics education field and professional development leaders.
Jane Wilburne <jmw41@psu.edu> is in Behavioral Sciences and Education, Penn State Harrisburg, Middletown, PA (USA).
