On teachers' specific mathematics

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.23925/1983-3156.2025v27i2p009-033

Keywords:

Teacher education, Mathematics, School mathematics, Mathematics for teaching, Mathematics in teaching

Abstract

In this theoretical essay, I explore the specificity of teachers' mathematics, discussing the limitations of the models Mathematical Knowledge for Teaching (MKT), Mathematics Teacher’s Specialised Knowledge (MTSK), and Mathematics for Teaching (MfT) in capturing the situated and regulated nature of teaching doing. I propose a distinction between Mathematics in Teaching (whose acronym in Portuguese is MnE), which manifests through pedagogical interaction with students, and Mathematics for Teaching (whose acronym in Portuguese is MpE), which encompasses MnE representations. I argue that these two dimensions are articulated recursively. The essay further supports the argument that both MpE and MnE are relational to the practice of school mathematics, considered evocative, and to the pedagogical context in which they are enacted. Based on this theoretical framework, I suggest that future studies investigate how public policies, curricular guidelines, and other socio-institutional dimensions shape the specificity of teachers' mathematics and deepen the understanding of how MpE and MnE interact and influence each other.

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Author Biography

Jonei Cerqueira Barbosa, Universidade Federal da Bahia

Doutorado em Educação Matemática

References

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Published

2025-05-31

How to Cite

BARBOSA, J. C. On teachers’ specific mathematics. Educação Matemática Pesquisa, São Paulo, v. 27, n. 2, p. 009–033, 2025. DOI: 10.23925/1983-3156.2025v27i2p009-033. Disponível em: https://revistas-anterior.pucsp.br/index.php/emp/article/view/70763. Acesso em: 25 dec. 2025.

Issue

Section

Call for papers to the special issue: Theoretical frameworks for discussing math