Reflections on Learning How to Teach Mathematics: The Initial Training of Kindergarten Teachers

Abstract

Teacher training programs have recently embraced the concept of reflection in the preparation of capable professionals for educational practice. This study included reflection as part of the design of a teaching-learning program developed to train pre-service kindergarten teachers to teach mathematics. The participants in this study were 40 pre-service teachers who enrolled in a two-year program of kindergarten teacher education in Taiwan. This study was designed to assess whether including reflection as a component of the teaching-learning program enabled teachers to better promote their mathematics learning and teaching competence. The results of this study show that engaging in reflection and preparing a learning portfolio can help pre-service teachers gain mathematical knowledge and learn more about their own teaching methods. The results also suggest that mathematical knowledge and pedagogical content knowledge can increase over time. Finally, this study discusses how to apply reflection in teacher-education programs in order to promote the successful professional development of pre-service teachers.