A Case of Four Prospective Adult Class Teachers’ Mathematical Identity Work

Abstract

Research on adult students’ the mathematical identity work has not been explored so much. In this study I try to understand four prospective adult class teachers’ identity works on the basis of their learning diaries during a mathematics education course (6 ECTS). These four prospective class teachers’ reported they had negative experiences of mathematics during their school years but later in their lives the views towards mathematics had changed to a positive direction. However, the identity work during the mathematics education course revealed that life experiences had not changed the most fundamental views towards mathematics, mathematics learning and teaching. During the mathematics education course, they began a healing re-building process of their mathematical views which gave them a better understanding to what learning and teaching goals to pursue in future.