Case 6: Perfect(Ing) Pairs: A Pair of Tools Nurtures Equitable Student Discourse in Elementary Mathematics

Teachers consistently cite clinical experiences as the most valuable learning opportunities (Borko & Mayfield, 1995; Hertzog & O’Rode, 2011; Schwartz et al., 2018; Steadman & Brown, 2011). Understanding this has led to shifts in the field and has garnered numerous calls to action from leading organizations to significantly alter the way clinical education is perceived and incorporated into the teacher preparation design and sequence at institutions of higher education across the country (e.g., AACTE, 2018; CAEP, 2022; NAPDS, 2008; NCATE, 2010).

With mathematics achievement acting as a gatekeeper for college and other postsecondary opportunities, the pursuit of equitable, high-quality instruction for all students is another significant challenge in this field (Stinson, 2013; Martin et al., 2010). As mathematics teacher educators, who have also served in supervisory roles in the field, we have witnessed first-hand how challenging it is for our students to take the research-informed theories and asset-based practices we teach within our university courses and implement them in the classroom without additional clinical support and guidance. Our students need more than an “experience” in the classroom; they need a “bridge” to help them make sense of the spaces they are moving between and to assist them in progressing from talking about beliefs related to high-quality, equitable instruction to actionable steps for implementation and professional development. This case presents a model that attempted to answer the calls for stronger clinical education by developing a “bridge” of support that utilized a pair of tools in clinical practice to help teachers identify implicit biases within their classrooms and initiate action towards creating more asset-oriented spaces for all students to be successful and to develop positive mathematical identities through enhanced opportunities for meaningful discourse.