Sarah E Ives

The focus of this large-scale qualitative study is preservice elementary teachers' self-reported emotional experiences with mathematics. These experiences informed our task design, specifically, using writing assignments in content courses for education majors. Using excerpts from written assignments such as math autobiographies, or mathographies, and reflections on writing about mathematics, we report on preservice elementary teachers with negative emotions toward specific mathematical content and concerns about teaching. We show these students may benefit from learning to communicate about mathematics through writing. The results indicate preservice elementary teachers can improve their subject matter knowledge and their confidence in their own abilities to communicate and understand mathematics taught at the elementary level. We recommend teacher educators consider task design using written explanations of mathematical concepts. The use would allow educators to assess understanding and to help preservice elementary teachers improve their subject matter knowledge and their communication skills about mathematics.