Mathematics Beliefs and Awareness Survey

Clark, L. M., DePiper, J. N., Frank, T. J., Nishio, M., Campbell, P. F., Smith, T. M., & Choi, Y. (2014).
Teacher characteristics associated with mathematics teachers’ beliefs and awareness of their
students’ mathematical dispositions. Journal for Research in Mathematics Education, 45(2), 246–
284. doi:10.5951/jresematheduc.45.2.0246

Please indicate the extent to which you agree or disagree with each of the following
statements.
1-Strongly Disagree
2-Disagree
3-Agree
4-Strongly Agree

1. During mathematics class, students should be asked to solve problems and complete
activities by relying on their own thinking without teachers modeling an approach.

During mathematics class, we are asked to solve problems and complete activities by relying on
our own thinking without our teacher modeling an approach.

2. Students learn mathematics best by paying attention when their teacher demonstrates what
to do, by asking questions if they do not understand, and then by practicing.

We learn mathematics best by paying attention when our teacher demonstrates what to do, by
asking questions if we do not understand, and then by practicing.

3. I learn about my students’ perceptions of what “doing mathematics” means through explicitly
asking them (e.g., students write about it, one-on-one discussions, group discussions).

Our teacher learns about our perceptions of what “doing mathematics’ means through
explicitly asking us (e.g., students write about it, one-on-one discussions, group discussions).

4. Students can figure out how to solve many mathematics problems without being told what to
do.

Our teacher allows us to figure out how to solve many mathematics problems without being told
what to do.

5. Mathematics skills are mastered incrementally, so instruction should only focus on one skill at a
time, ordered by difficulty, and not move on until most students have mastered that skill.

Mathematics skills are mastered incrementally, so our teacher’s instruction only focuses on one
skill at a time, ordered by difficulty, and not move on until most of us have mastered that skill.

6. I learn about my students’ perceptions of connections between mathematics and their

everyday lives through explicitly asking them (e.g., students write about it, one-on-one
discussions, group discussions).

The teacher learns about our perceptions of connections between mathematics and our
everyday lives through explicitly asking us (e.g., students write about it, one-on-one discussions,
group discussions).

7. During mathematics class, I do not necessarily answer students’ questions immediately but
rather let them struggle and puzzle things out for themselves.

During mathematics class, our teacher does not necessarily answer our questions immediately
but rather lets us struggle and puzzle things out for ourselves.

8. I like my students to master basic mathematical operations before they tackle complex
problems.

Our teacher likes us to master basic mathematical operations before we tackle complex
problems.

9. I learn about my students’ perceptions of their mathematical ability through explicitly asking
them (e.g., students write about it, one-on-one discussions, group discussions).
Our teacher learns about our perceptions of our mathematical ability through explicitly asking us
(e.g., students write about it, one-on-one discussions, group discussions).

10. Students learn mathematics best by working to solve accessible problems that entail a
solution process that has not been demonstrated to them.

Our teacher lets us learn mathematics best by working to solve accessible problems that entail a
solution process that has not been demonstrated to us by our teacher.

11. Learning mathematics requires a good memory because you must remember how to carry
out procedures and, when solving an application problem, you have to remember which
procedure to use.

Our teacher requires us to have a good memory in learning mathematics because we must
remember how to carry out procedures and, when solving an application problem, we have to
remember which procedure to use.

12. For the majority of my students, I have a good sense of their motivations for wanting to
succeed in mathematics.

For the majority of my classmates, our teacher has a good sense of our motivations for wanting
to succeed in mathematics.

13. To teach mathematics, first model the activity, then provide some practice and immediate
feedback, and, finally, clarify what the assignment is and how it is to be completed.

To teach mathematics, our teacher first models the activity, then provides some practice and
immediate feedback, and, finally, clarifies what the assignment is and how it is to be completed.

14. A lot of things in mathematics must simply be accepted as true and remembered.

Our teacher tells us that a lot of things in mathematics must simply be accepted as true and
remembered.

15. For the majority of my students, I have a good sense of whether or not they see how the
mathematics we do in class connects to their everyday lives.

For the majority of my classmates, our teacher has a good sense of whether or not we see how
the mathematics we do in class connects to our everyday lives.

16. During mathematics class, discussion should focus on students’ ideas and approaches, no
matter whether their answers are correct or incorrect.

During mathematics class, our teacher focuses the discussion on our ideas and approaches, no
matter whether our answers are correct or incorrect.

17. When planning mathematics lessons, teachers need to focus explicitly on rules and
procedures.

When planning mathematics lessons, our teacher focuses explicitly on rules and procedures.

18. In order to prepare students for assessments, when students are working on a problem in
mathematics, I highlight more than one approach to solving that problem.

In order to prepare us for assessments, when we are working on a problem in mathematics, our
teacher highlights more than one approach to solving that problem.

19. Students should be homogeneously grouped for instruction and assigned to a curriculum on
the basis of their prior mathematical performance.

Our teacher homogeneously grouped us for instruction and assigned to a curriculum on the
basis of our prior mathematical performance.

20. I like to use mathematics problems that can be solved in many different ways.

Our teacher likes to use mathematics problems that can be solved in many different ways.
21. I have a good sense of what my unsuccessful students perceive as challenges to their
mathematical performance.

Our teacher has a good sense of what the unsuccessful students in the class perceive as
challenges to their mathematical performance.

Mathematics Instructional Practice Survey

Carney, M. B., Brendefur, J. L., Hughes, G. R., & Thiede, K. (2015). Developing a mathematical
instructional practice survey: Considerations and evidence. Mathematics Teacher Educator,
4(1), 93–118. doi:10.5951/mathteaceduc.4.1.0093

Please indicate for each statement the frequency you engage in the particular instructional
practice.

1-Never
2-Rarely
3-Often
4-Always
As the classroom teacher, I:

1. Emphasize the use of multiple models for recording and communicating student thinking.

2. Encourage discussion of the connections between various models and strategies.

3. Facilitate discussion about the underlying mathematical concepts (e.g. composing or

decomposing number.

4. Present one standard method of solving a task or performing mathematical problems.

5. Facilitate small group or whole class discussion on student thinking.

6. Explain the steps to a procedure or algorithm when I introduce new topics.

7. Demonstrate for the class the correct way to use a particular procedure or model before they
start solving problems.

8. Avoid student errors and misconceptions when a topic is first introduced by explaining how to
solve a problem before they start

Students:

9. Analyze the connections between various models and procedures.

10. Take notes on how to perform each step in a procedure or algorithm.

11. Learn by copying down examples from a teacher demonstration.

12. Solve problems that allow for different approaches.

Classroom tasks and activities:

13. Are based on their potential to encourage discussions of students’ mathematical ideas.

14. Are selected because they provide opportunities for students to explain the mathematics
behind an answer.
Our mathematics teacher:

1. Emphasizes the use of multiple models for recording and communicating student thinking.

2. Encourages discussion of the connections between various models and strategies.

3. Facilitates discussion about the underlying mathematical concepts (e.g. composing or

decomposing number.

4. Presents one standard method of solving a task or performing mathematical problems.

5. Facilitates small group or whole class discussion on student thinking.

6. Explains the steps to a procedure or algorithm when he/she introduces new topics.

7. Demonstrates for the class the correct way to use a particular procedure or model before we
start solving problems.

8. Avoids student errors and misconceptions when a topic is first introduced by explaining how to
solve a problem before we start

In our mathematics class, we, the students:

9. Analyze the connections between various models and procedures.

10. Take notes on how to perform each step in a procedure or algorithm.

11. Learn by copying down examples from a teacher demonstration.

12. Solve problems that allow for different approaches.

In our mathematics class, the tasks and activities:

13. Are based on our potential to encourage discussions of our mathematical ideas.

14. Are selected because they provide opportunities for us to explain the mathematics behind
an answer.