The Story of First-Year Teachers' Struggle To Maintain a Reform Perspective After Experiencing Integrated Mathematics Content and Methods in Their Teacher Preparation Program.

This study investigates how successful the Urban Alternative Preparation Program (UAPP) integrated mathematics/methods sequence was at changing the beliefs and practices of preservice teachers in the program. The program is grounded in constructivist learning theory and promotes practices that support that perspective. A group of eight students who held non-education undergraduate degrees and were preparing to become certified in a K-5 urban setting participated in the study. Results indicate that they demonstrated beliefs and practices that were more consistent with the philosophy of reform and a strong resilience in their newfound beliefs and practice. (KHR)