Good Mathematics Teaching and Classroom Norms : – Views of Secondary School Students –

Abstract

This article describes a research on students’ views of what constitutes good mathematics teaching. A questionnaire with open ended questions was given to 106 students in six different mathematics classes, with five different teachers, in four different upper secondary schools in Iceland. The questions were designed to get at students concerns and opinions of what constitutes good mathematics teaching and where the strengths of their particular teacher lie. The students of all the teachers considered ‘clear explanations of the content’ as the teachers’ main advantages as well as thorough mathematical knowledge and incisive teaching, while they also appreciated highly personal qualities such as patience, cheerfulness, and care for their students’ progress. Remarks on the characteristics of good teaching witnessed different societal norms in the groups as well as different beliefs about students’ own roles, the roles of others, teachers included, and the general nature of mathematical activity in school.