Source: Teaching Education, Volume 23, Issue 4, 2012 pages 429-450
This study examined preservice teachers’ mental representations through drawing floor plans of an “ideal middle-level mathematics classroom.”
The participants were 41 middle-level mathematics preservice teachers.
They created two floor plans, one at the beginning of the semester and the other for the course final.
An essay was also submitted describing how the final floor plan addressed the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics principle of Teaching.
Participants designed and described floor plans that encouraged the use of inquiry and hands-on activities and technology as instructional strategies.
These floor plans also focused on student learning styles and individual needs, established a comfortable, organized and safe learning environment, demonstrated flexibility in grouping strategies, and encouraged communication between peers and with the teacher.
The essays also suggest that the preservice teachers’ emerging teacher identity was influenced by professional experiences such as field placements and peer lessons.