A Phenomenological Approach to Understand the Experiences of Teachers Who Value Listening to Student Mathematical Reasoning

Abstract

Listening to students’ mathematical reasoning is commonly highlighted as one of the main features of progressive mathematics teaching, yet, little is known about how teachers enact listening in the classroom. This project explores the experiences of teachers who value a listening orientation in their teaching practice. My research question is: How do teachers who profess to have a listening orientation experience listening and responding to student mathematical thinking? I will draw from enactivism (Varela, Thompson, & Rosch, 1991) as a theoretical framework to understand the world of significance brought forth by teachers. A phenomenological approach will ground this project on participants’ experiences. I conducted interviews with five elementary school teachers from grades three to eight. In my data analysis I have identified stories and observations which reveal teachers’ patterns of interaction with students and the type of relationships established with the students. The findings suggest similarities and uniqueness among the world brought forth by the teachers interviewed. The relevance of establishing relationships and encouraging students to express their mathematical reasoning seems to be central to maintaining a listening environment in teaching.