Promoting Productive Struggle
I am interested in how preservice teachers support students as they struggle mathematically. In elementary mathematics methods courses, I discuss the Productive Struggle Framework (Warshauer, 2015) with preservice teachers, and they reflect on video recordings of teachers as they support students. In class, we categorize teaching responses using the framework and discuss alternative ways to respond to students.
Throughout the semester, preservice teachers also respond to teaching scenarios created using Lesson Sketch, and they also use the Productive Struggle Framework to categorize their own responses and set goals for how they can support students in the future. My coauthors and I explore how their responses shift across the semester.
Publications:
Keels, K., Spangler, D., & Han, J. (Revise and resubmit). Using an observation tool to examine teacher responses to student struggle. Mathematics Teacher Educator.
Presentations:
Keels, K., Spangler, D., & Han, J. (2019, February). Unpacking productive struggle: Resources for reflection and instructional planning. Paper presented at the Association of Mathematics Teacher Educators, Orlando, FL.
Keels, K., Spangler, D., & Han, J. (2018, April). Teacher actions to support productive struggle. Paper presented at the National Council for Teachers of Mathematics Research Pre-session, Washington, DC.
Spangler, D., & Keels, K.(2016, November). Prove it! Helping struggling learners become independent thinkers. Presentation at the National Council for Teachers of Mathematics Innov8 Conference, St. Louis, MO.
Keels, K.(2016, November). Reaching beyond struggle to promote mathematical proficiency in all learners. Poster presented at the North American Chapter of the International Society for the Psychology of Mathematics Education, Tucson, AZ.
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In another activity, my coauthor and I investigate how preservice teachers anticipate how students transfer their mathematical knowledge to novel tasks. We also explore the instructional supports preservice teachers suggest after viewing student work so that they would be able to transfer their knowledge to future work.
Publications:
Keels, K.& Diamond, J. (In preparation). Anticipating student responses: Interview activities that link transfer research to practice. Mathematics Teacher Educator.
Presentations:
Diamond, J., & Keels, K. (2017, April). Should preservice teachers engage in discussion about transfer? Paper presented at the National Council for Teachers of Mathematics Research Pre-session, San Antonio, TX.