Dr. Ann Kajander Publishes Mathematics for Intermediate Teachers: From Models to Methods

Research shows there is a need to move beyond traditional, formula-based approaches to mathematics—and Dr. Ann Kajander’s (Professor, Thunder Bay campus) new book, Mathematics for Intermediate Teachers: From Models to Methods, aims to teach teachers the reasoning behind the methods.

The 2023 book is written for prospective and practicing teachers, with the encouragement of Lakehead’s Bachelor of Education candidates in mathematics curriculum and instruction courses. These preservice teachers, all of whom had extensive post-secondary mathematics coursework, claimed that understanding the representations and reasoning (what the field calls specialized mathematics content knowledge for teaching) significantly deepened their understanding of the concepts. A group of the 2021-2022 cohort even gathered for the book's cover shot in the Bora Laskin library!

As noted on the Cambridge Scholars Publishing website, the ideas and activities outlined in the book “are directly transferable to classroom use, with concepts developed using visual models and representations, manipulatives, reasoning, and with deep connections to other concepts. These methods support better thinking, learning, and understanding for all students. In addition, these visual and active approaches are also much better aligned with Indigenous ways of thinking and knowing, a critical benefit for societies striving for decolonization.”

Ann, who teaches mathematics education, is the author of numerous research papers, and has published five other books on mathematics education.