Professional development helps teachers move beyond fidelity in implementing published activities, to the artistry of creating activities that engage pupils in the excitement of powerfully using mathematics that is meaningful to them. Building Collaboration Among Teachers Inservice workshops are often the first time teachers have shared mathematical experiences with others. Conversation about mathematical ideas, small group problem solving, collaborative design of data collection and representation and the like can be an occasion for powerful, enjoyable, affective experiences. Such collegiality is critical to establish in the culture of the schools in order to sustain ongoing professional development. Good professional development programs encourage teachers to talk about their own experiences as mathematics students.
Personal recollections are often negative, especially for the math anxious teacher.
There is psychological value in discussing these experiences with peers and realizing that others share such feelings. Another aspect of collaboration encouraged by our program is for pairs of teachers to design activities together and try them with their students. Activities are also team-taught when feasible. Similarly, as interpersonal relationships develop around mathematics activities, teachers become more willing to demonstrate activities in their classrooms to others in the group, to be observed while teaching, thus taking more risks. When elementary school teachers comfortably teach in front of and with others, the norms and culture of the school have begun to change in important ways.