The socio-politics of teacher explanation in mathematics education

David Kollosche (1)

1 University of Potsdam = Universität Potsdam

Despite efforts for a more student-centred teaching in mathematics education, data from interviewed German students suggest that teacher explanation is the most dominant form of introducing new knowledge and skills. From a Foucaultian standpoint and on the basis of the interview data, it is firstly argued that explanation belongs to an institutionalisation of mathematics education in which explanatory power is reserved for the teacher, leaving students with a passive role both towards learning and towards questioning mathematics as a discipline. It is secondly argued that such an organisation of teaching might be functional in identifying well-disciplined and fast-learning students through their achievements in mathematics. Thirdly, the point is made that the ignorance of research concerning the socio-political role of explanation is effective in the conservation of the socio-political functions of school mathematics.

Mots clés: Mathematics instruction; theory practice relationship; teaching styles; student interview

Domaines: Mathématiques [math]; Sciences de l'Homme et Société

David Kollosche. The socio-politics of teacher explanation in mathematics education. CERME 10, Feb 2017, Dublin, Ireland. ⟨hal-01937365⟩