An “inverse” relationship between mathematics identities and classroom practices among early career elementary teachers: The impact of accountability

•Every teacher had an “inverse” relationship between her mathematics identity and classroom practices.•Accountability appeared to play a critical role in shaping this “inverse” relationship.•Implications include the need for teachers to reflect and construct “autobiographical selves”.•This “inverse” relationship adds a new lens to examine relationships between beliefs and practices.

This qualitative case study guided by portraiture examines the relationships between three early career elementary teachers’ beliefs about themselves in relation to mathematics (mathematics identities) and their classroom practices. Through autobiographical inquiry, reflective practice, classroom observations, interviews, and artifacts, findings show that all three second grade teachers appeared to have an “inverse” relationship between their mathematics identities and their classroom practices. In this relationship, as negative as they felt about themselves with regards to mathematics, they expended that much more effort to ensure that their students would have positive experiences with it and not be stigmatized by it as they had been. Accountability to schools, students, and parents, to increase student achievement appeared to play an important role in this relationship. Implications for preservice teacher education, inservice professional development, and research on beliefs and practices are discussed.

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