A. Manouchehri et T. Goodman, MATHEMATICS CURRICULUM REFORM AND TEACHERS - UNDERSTANDING THE CONNECTIONS, The Journal of educational research, 92(1), 1998, pp. 27-41
Ethnographic research was conducted to study the process of evaluation
and implementation of 4 standards-based curricular materials by 66 mi
ddle school mathematics teachers at 12 different school districts over
a period of 2 years. The data revealed that what teachers knew about
mathematics content and innovative pedagogical practices and their per
sonal theories about learning and teaching mathematics were the greate
st influences on how they valued and implemented the programs. Moreove
r, the environments within which teachers worked were instrumental in
their use of the materials. The problems teachers faced as they taught
the curriculum included lack of sufficient time for planning, lack of
conceptual understanding of mathematics concepts, inadequate knowledg
e base about how to bridge the gap between teaching for understanding
and mastery of basic skills, and lack of professional support and prog
ressive leadership.