Dr. Beth Herbel-Eisenmann, Professor of Mathematics Education, College of Education, Michigan State University
7-8pm Thursday March 14th
Reich College of Education Room 124B/C
Using action research to counter the deprofessionalization of teachers, improve classroom discourse, and humanize students
In the current climate of deprofessionalizing teachers, it is important to consider ways to counter these kinds practices. In this talk, I highlight the work of a group of teacher-researchers I have collaborated with over the past seven years. I explain how action research, as a form of professional development, counters the deprofessionalization of teachers. I then illustrate some of the ways our group has worked together to change classroom discourse practices to position students as intellectual contributors, attend more deeply to students’ perspectives, and work to counter implicit bias. I argue that this kind of work is imperative to countering the kinds of practices that deprofessionalize teachers and changing practices that can inadvertently dehumanize students.
Speaker Bio: A former junior high mathematics teacher, Dr. Herbal-Eisenmann is Professor of Mathematics Education at MSU, where she has served as Elementary and Secondary Mathematics Subject Area Leader and taught in these teacher preparation programs and in the PhD Program in Mathematics Education. She has spent most of her academic career working in collaboration with secondary mathematics teachers who have used action research to become more purposeful about their discourse practices and better support students’ opportunities to learn.