A CHANGING TIDE? EXPLORING MATH IDENTITY IN PRESERVICE ELMENTARY TEACHERS.

The math identity that teachers hold can influence how they teach and the math identities that their students develop. This study on preservice elementary teachers (N = 13) describes the feelings the participants have toward teaching math, how they developed those feelings, and how they view the identity of “not a math person.” Unlike previous studies, the participants in this study expressed very positive feelings about math and about teaching math. Feeling competent in math, having a strong “math for teaching” course, and seeing math as relevant to daily life were the key components to their positive feelings. Although they know that people identify as “not a math person,” they believe that no one is born unable to learn math. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]