From learning to teaching : the impact of pre-service teachers' math experiences on their self-efficacy in the classroom
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This qualitative study explored how elementary pre-service teachers perceived the development of self-efficacy for teaching mathematics and their description of how prior experiences as math learners influenced that development. Grounded in Bandura's (1977) theory of self-efficacy, three pre-service teachers who had completed two mathematics methods courses and had begun full-time student teaching were interviewed. Three dominant themes emerged: (a) early exposure to traditional, procedural, teacher-centered instruction shaped participants' beliefs about mathematics and math instruction; (b) experiences with mastery and struggle significantly influenced their confidence; and (c) emotional responses to learning mathematics had a lasting impact on self-efficacy. All participants recalled struggling with math during their K--12 education. Although they ultimately perceived high levels of elementary math teaching self-efficacy during student teaching, this growth was often conditional--frequently tied to curriculum structure or familiarity with the assigned grade level. Unlike some international studies suggesting negative math experiences tend to correlate with lower teaching self-efficacy, these findings suggest well-designed teacher preparation programs can help pre-service teachers reframe negative experiences and build lasting confidence.
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