Mathematics teachers’ interpretations of students’ perceptions of the classroom learning environment: opportunities for inquiry

Research on mathematics teacher professional learning indicates that careful analysis of evidence of students’ reasoning and participation can prompt generative inquiry into instruction. Evidence of students’ own perceptions of instruction is noticeably absent in the literature. This absence is consequential, given the well-documented finding that mathematics teachers’ instructional decisions are shaped by assumptions they make about their students. Guided by an interpretive perspective on teaching and the literature on mathematics teachers’ professional learning, this study explores U.S. middle-grades mathematics teachers’ interpretations of evidence of students’ perceptions of key aspects of the mathematics classroom environment. Evidence resulted from practical measures that take the form of quick, student-facing surveys specific to a lesson. We report on qualitative analyses of teachers’ interpretations of students’ survey responses in the context of data sensemaking interviews (12 teachers) and professional learning cycle debriefs (four of those 12 teachers). Findings indicate that overall, teachers’ interpretations of students’ perceptions opened possibilities for inquiry, and that their interpretations made visible aspects of their then-current pedagogical commitments (instructional visions and views of their students’ capabilities). In addition to substantiating the value of teachers analyzing evidence of students’ perceptions of the classroom learning environment, this study contributes to the field’s understanding of the relevance of teachers’ instructional visions and views of their students in shaping their interpretations of evidence of students’ reasoning and experiences. Both contributions have implications for the study and practice of equity-oriented professional learning.