Mathematical knowledge and overall practice in initial teacher education of early childhood teachers

This paper presents an instrumental multiple-case study composed of two representative cases selected from a Mathematics Initial Teacher Education course. Data collected include concept maps, classroom observations, and interviews, which were analysed quantitatively and qualitatively. Differences in knowledge and practices were compared between pre-service early childhood teachers: one with greater content and pedagogical knowledge, and appropriate teaching practices; and another, with insufficient content and pedagogical knowledge, and repetitive mathematics activities. Findings from these two cases indicate a relationship among content, pedagogical knowledge, and good practice; and thus, support the existence of a dialogical and integrative relationship between knowledge and practice in teaching. Accordingly, the teacher practice dimension from the Mathematics Teaching Capability framework should play an important role in the initial teacher education of early childhood teachers.