Examining Opportunities to Learn and Enact Ambitious Instruction, Culturally Responsive Teaching, and Culturally Relevant Pedagogy in Mathematics Education

The focus of this dissertation is on ambitious pedagogies in mathematics education teaching and learning. The goal across the three manuscripts was to focus upon how pre-service (teacher candidates) and in-service teachers have opportunities to learn and enact ambitious mathematics instruction including that which supports culturally responsive teaching (CRT) and culturally relevant pedagogy (CRP). The first paper uses qualitative metasynthesis as the methodological framing to synthesize qualitative research to understand how researchers interpret mathematics teaching practices that support CRT and CRP in pre-kindergarten through 12th grade. The second manuscript is based upon a multi-case study that explores teacher candidates’ opportunities to learn ambitious pedagogies based upon their methods instructors’ beliefs about effective teaching practices in elementary mathematics. The third manuscript is based upon a different multi-case study that explores the mathematics teaching practices of three elementary teachers who have been certified in CRT by professional development opportunities in their district. Holistically, these studies offer insight into ambitious instructional strategies used in elementary mathematics education.