Conhecimentos Didático-Matemáticos mobilizados por professores que ensinam Matemática nos anos iniciais do Ensino Fundamental

Abstract

This research, situated within the field of Mathematics Education, aims to investigate the didactic-mathematical knowledge mobilized by teachers who teach Mathematics in the early years of Elementary Education in the municipal school system of Januária, Minas Gerais, Brazil. Specifically, it seeks to analyze teachers’ perceptions of their own basic education and initial training for teaching Mathematics, as well as their self-assessment of the mathematical knowledge they possess. Additionally, the study examines the didactic-mathematical knowledge mobilized by teachers during Mathematics lessons in 4th and 5th-grade classes and describes how this knowledge is incorporated into lesson-planning discussions. The research methodology follows a qualitative approach, with data collected through non-participant systematic observation and semi-structured interviews conducted with two male and two female teachers. Data collection took place in two municipal schools in Januária, involving three teachers working with 5th-grade classes and one teacher assigned to a 4th-grade class. The observations analyzed in this study were carried out between February 19 and April 12, 2024. A total of 16 hours of lessons were examined, with an average of 4 hours per class, focusing on specific mathematical topics selected to allow for an in-depth analysis of how each mathematical concept was approached in the classroom. The observed lessons covered the following mathematical content: Classes and Orders in the Decimal Numeration System, Graphs and Tables, and Measures of Mass. Two interviews were conducted with the participating teachers: the first addressed their use of didactic-mathematical knowledge in lesson planning, while the second explored their perceptions of their teaching practices. During data collection, teachers provided the researcher with lesson and course plans used in their instructional planning and delivery. Content Analysis was employed to interpret and analyze the data. The findings indicate that teachers mobilize their knowledge in the mathematical dimension, particularly in the category of Common Content Knowledge. In the didactic dimension, they draw upon six categories of Didactic-Mathematical Knowledge: Epistemic, Cognitive, Affective, Interactional, Mediational, and Ecological. However, they also encounter challenges, such as imprecise terminology use (e.g., confusion between quantitative lines and quantity lines), difficulties establishing connections between different mathematical concepts, and a tendency to present only a single definition or representation of a mathematical object. Furthermore, teachers report that their schooling was predominantly structured around expository lessons, rote memorization, and repetitive mathematical exercises. Their initial training was heavily focused on theoretical discussions about teaching and learning Mathematics, yet it lacked practical application. Despite these limitations, they express confidence in their mathematical knowledge for teaching, attributing their preparedness to their planning efforts and continuous study. This study highlights that teachers' mathematical training during both basic education and initial teacher education primarily emphasized expository instruction and mechanical problem-solving, reinforcing repetition and memorization. Consequently, the research underscores the need to foster greater teacher autonomy, enabling educators to develop intentional pedagogical practices that encourage critical thinking among students. Additionally, it advocates for ongoing professional development initiatives tailored to teachers’ needs, equipping them with resources to reassess and refine their everyday teaching practices critically