My research agenda centers on the preparation of secondary mathematics teachers. I focus on two primary lines of inquiry: (1) novice teacher development of mathematical knowledge for teaching; and (2) supporting novice teachers to learn high-leverage instructional practices.  

Helping pre-service teachers develop content knowledge for teaching is a particularly salient issue in math, as teachers often enter the field either without a deep understanding of mathematics, or with a lack of familiarity around how advanced mathematical topics connect to the content of the school curriculum. I am currently investigating ways in which college level mathematics content classes can play a role in the preparation of secondary mathematics teachers. I focus in particular on how such courses might be tailored to bridge the gap between high school and college mathematics. In addition to researching teachers’ content preparation and their engagement in mathematical practices, I also study their development of pedagogical content knowledge.

Another issue facing the field of teacher education is how novices are prepared for professional practice. I draw on research around practice-based teacher education to consider strategies for supporting pre-service teachers to learn high-leverage instructional practices, such as leading whole class discussions, eliciting and interpreting student thinking, or giving an instructional explanation. I investigate the ways in which in-class, coached rehearsals of practices like leading discussion can support novice teacher learning. In collaboration with colleagues across universities, I have worked to develop instructional activities that are appropriate for secondary mathematics classrooms and that can help bound the complex nature of leading discussions.