Frameworks for Conceptualizing Mathematics Teacher Knowledge

Introduction

Discussion of the relationship between knowledge and the profession of teaching is particularly convoluted because knowledge is itself the commodity at the heart of education and the very goal of teaching. For a starting point in theorizing knowledge and teaching, one can turn to Aristotle’s (384–322 BC) aphorism “it is a sign of the man who knows, that he can teach” (Metaphysics, Book 1). This can be interpreted that “really” knowing something is best evidenced in the performance of teaching. The Oxford philosopher John Wilson (1975) endorsed and extended Aristotle’s position on teacher knowledge with the argument that comprehension of the logic of concepts offered guidance on how to teach them. In other words, not only do we need to know what we teach in the sense of understanding it, but such a profound quality of knowing actually acts as a guide to the pedagogy, i.e., the “how to teach,” of subjects such as mathematics. This position has recently been developed by...