Shared authority in the mathematics classroom: successes and challenges throughout one teacher’s trajectory implementing ambitious practices

A critical role of mathematics teacher education is to equip teachers with understandings and ambitious practices that support effective mathematics teaching for students from diverse backgrounds, specifically connecting to children’s mathematical thinking (CMT) and children’s linguistic, cultural, and family funds of knowledge (CFoK). Drawing on data from a larger research project, TEACH Math, this longitudinal case study uses the lens of authority to examine one teacher’s, Sena’s, understandings and practices related to CMT and CFoK over a 4-year period, i.e., through mathematics methods, student teaching, and early career teaching. Findings identify changes made in understandings and practices related to CMT and CFoK, with a focus on the development of recognition and realization rules. Emphasis is placed on how authority was shared in the classroom and how this may have impacted one teacher’s development of two very different learning-to-teach trajectories for connecting to CMT and CFoK. Implications for teacher educators focused on supporting novice teachers in developing ambitious mathematics teaching practices are discussed.