Charles EstherMath skills among U.S. students are on the decline, and recent national assessments have made this glaringly clear. According to the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), 24% of fourth graders are still performing below basic math levels.
At the same time, studies have also highlighted a growing disparity in math achievement across the country.
These challenges are exacerbated by factors ranging from a culture of math avoidance to the ongoing difficulties schools face in recruiting and retaining skilled teachers.
However, a new report sheds light on one crucial aspect contributing to this issue: inadequate teacher preparation programs.
A Growing Gap in Teacher Preparation
A study conducted by the National Council on Teacher Quality (NCTQ) reviewed over 1,100 teacher preparation programs across the United States and found that most elementary school teachers are not receiving enough instruction on the math content they will need to teach.
Specifically, the study revealed that only one in eight programs provides enough time for aspiring teachers to fully grasp the math content necessary for elementary education.
This lack of preparation can leave students at a disadvantage before they even step into the classroom.
Heather Peske, the president of the National Council on Teacher Quality, emphasized the importance of early math skills, noting that they are linked to higher literacy and greater earning potential.
Yet, many elementary school teachers lack confidence in their math abilities — a problem that is passed on to their students, ultimately contributing to a cycle of math anxiety that persists throughout students’ academic careers.
The Struggles of Teacher Prep Programs
Despite the critical need for effective math instruction, many teacher preparation programs fail to provide future educators with sufficient math content knowledge.
According to the NCTQ report, undergraduate programs often fall short in teaching essential math concepts such as numbers, operations, and algebraic thinking.
Surprisingly, graduate programs — which are expected to prepare teachers for the same roles — performed even worse, with 84% of graduate programs receiving failing grades in their math preparation offerings.
These shortcomings are particularly concerning considering that elementary school teachers are often expected to be generalists, covering a range of subjects in their classrooms.
However, the limited time allocated to math instruction during their preparation means that many teachers enter the classroom unprepared to teach math effectively.
As a result, these teachers may struggle to engage their students or help them develop a strong math foundation.
The Impact of Emergency Credentials and Alternative Certifications
In addition to issues within traditional teacher preparation programs, many schools have turned to alternative routes to fill teaching vacancies.
Due to teacher shortages, many educators are hired with emergency credentials or through alternative certification programs that bypass the rigorous training typically required in conventional teacher preparation programs.
While this allows schools to quickly staff classrooms, these teachers often lack the specialized training needed to teach math effectively, further complicating the issue.
Even for teachers who do complete preparation programs, the situation remains complicated.
According to Cody Patterson, an assistant professor of mathematics at Texas State University, elementary school teacher preparation programs generally have limited time (about 120 semester credit hours) to equip future teachers with knowledge in multiple subject areas.
This narrow focus can leave math instruction underemphasized, contributing to the broader math achievement gap.
The Case for More Math Instruction in Teacher Prep
Peske and the NCTQ report suggest that teacher preparation programs need to dedicate more time to math content and pedagogy.
The report recommends increasing the number of instructional hours devoted to math content and teaching methods, with an ideal benchmark of 150 hours.
By ensuring that teachers have a deep understanding of math and how to teach it, these programs could better equip teachers to support their students’ learning.
However, some experts argue that this recommendation may only be part of the solution.
Yasemin Copur-Gencturk, an associate professor of education at the University of Southern California, believes that separating math content from math pedagogy — as is often done in current teacher prep programs — may be ineffective.
While more time spent on math content is important, she contends that teachers also need to learn how to teach this content in a way that resonates with students.
The Importance of Blending Content and Pedagogy
Effective math teaching requires not just content knowledge but also an understanding of how students learn and where they tend to struggle.
Patterson agrees that blending math content with teaching methods is crucial.
He believes that teacher preparation programs should integrate these two areas to ensure teachers are well-prepared to teach math in a way that connects with their students.
For example, understanding algebraic thinking requires different teaching strategies than teaching basic operations like addition and subtraction.
Teachers need specialized tools and techniques to help students overcome common difficulties and develop a deep understanding of mathematical concepts.
Without proper preparation in both content and pedagogy, teachers may struggle to support their students effectively.
Breaking the Cycle of Math Anxiety
An additional challenge for many elementary school teachers is math anxiety, a phenomenon that can be passed down from teacher to student.
Many teachers carry their own fears of math, often due to negative experiences during their own education.
As a result, they may unconsciously transfer these anxieties to their students, making it harder for students to develop a positive relationship with the subject.
In response, some instructional coaches have taken on the role of “math therapists,” helping teachers overcome their own math anxiety and, in turn, break the cycle of math fear in their classrooms.
This approach emphasizes the importance of building teacher confidence in math, which can have a direct impact on student outcomes.
Moving Forward: Addressing the Math Crisis
The NCTQ report concludes that teacher preparation programs need to make substantial changes to ensure that teachers are adequately trained to teach math.
However, this change must also be accompanied by broader reforms in education policy, including improving working conditions, increasing teacher salaries, and addressing the underlying issues contributing to teacher shortages.
Experts agree that improving teacher preparation programs is just one piece of the puzzle.
To truly break the cycle of math anxiety and underachievement, a more comprehensive approach is needed — one that includes better support for teachers, higher expectations for math instruction, and a greater emphasis on the real-world applications of math.
Only then can we begin to close the math achievement gap and give students the foundation they need to succeed.
