Developing Mathematical Proficiency for Elementary Instruction, 1st ed. 2021
Advances in STEM Education Series

The need to improve the mathematical proficiency of elementary teachers is well recognized, and it has long been of interest to educators and researchers in the U.S. and many other countries. But the specific proficiencies that elementary teachers need and the process of developing and improving them remain only partially conceptualized and not well validated empirically. To improve this situation, national workshops were organized at Texas A&M University to generate focused discussions about this important topic, with participation of mathematicians, mathematics educators and teachers. Developing Mathematical Proficiency for Elementary Instruction is a collection of articles that grew out of those exciting cross-disciplinary exchanges.

Developing Mathematical Proficiency for Elementary Instruction is organized to probe the specifics of mathematical proficiency that are important to elementary teachers during two separate but inter-connected professional stages: as pre-service teachers in a preparation program, and as in-service teachers teaching mathematics in elementary classrooms. From this rich and inspiring collection, readers may better understand, and possibly rethink, their own practices and research in empowering elementary teachers mathematically and pedagogically, as educators or researchers.

Yeping Li is Professor of Mathematics Education at Texas A&M University, USA, where he served as the Head of the Department of Teaching, Learning, and Culture from 2011 to 2015. His research interests include mathematics education, STEM education, and teacher education. He is the founding editor-in-chief of the International Journal of STEM Education and Journal for STEM Education Research, both published by Springer, and is also the editor of several monograph series including, Advances in STEM Education also published by Springer. In addition to publishing over 15 books and special journal issues in recent years, he has published more than 150 articles in topic areas that he is interested in. He has also organized and chaired many group sessions at various national and international professional conferences, such as International Congress on Mathematical Education -10 (ICME-10) (2004), ICME-11 (2008), ICME-12 (2012), and American Educational Research Association. He received his Ph.D. in Cognitive Studies in Education from the University of Pittsburgh, USA.

Roger E. Howe is Wm. Kenan Jr. Professor of Mathematics, emeritus, from Yale University, and the Curtis D. Roberts Professor of Mathematics Education, and University Distinguished Professor at Texas A&M University, USA. His scholarly interests include mathematics and mathematics education, with a focus on conceptual understanding and teacher preparation. He served on the Study Committee of the National Research Council that produced Adding It Up. He was Chair of the Committee on Education for the American Mathematical Society, 2000-2004. He was a member of the reaction group for the creation of the Common Core State Standards in Mathematics for the United States. He served on the U.S. National Commission on Mathematics Instruction from 2008-2016, and on Executive Committee of the International Commission on Mathematics Education of the Internation