The Pressure of Keeping Up: A Qualitative Exploratory Case Study on How Pacing Influences Secondary Mathematics Teaching Strategies
No Thumbnail Available
Authors
Lechleiter, Melissa
Issue Date
2025-10
Type
Dissertation
Language
en
Keywords
Secondary Mathematics , Organizational socialization , Datafication of Students , Student Success Science
Alternative Title
Abstract
The problem that this study is seeking to address is to explore the pressure from high-stakes tests and district pacing guides has on the teaching strategies teachers choose to implement in secondary mathematics classrooms. The problem impacts secondary mathematic teachers, their students, administration and district level personnel. The purpose of this study is to explore the perspective of secondary mathematic teachers and the decisions they make in their classrooms. The theoretical framework comes from organizational socialization, which was developed by Van Maanen and Schein in 1976. A theory that states employes change their habits, and beliefs based on the needs of their new environment or workplace. Teachers do this exact thing every school year as they get new students, new professional work groups, or change schools and the process of conforming to those needs starts. This study used a qualitative exploratory case study design that used a thematic analysis for the 11 individual interviews and one focus group. Results show that mathematic teachers do change their teaching styles based for three reasons. The first, most dominant reasons are students’ needs, altering teaching methods to help students understand. Second was due to time restraints or pacing guides, teachers felt they were behind and not keeping up with the given timeline to have students prepared for tests or the next course level. Third was professional collaboration groups, teachers share their ideas, resources, or past practices to help each other prepare the students. The recommendation for future research is to understand what the education system wants from the mathematic courses required for students and see if there are ways to change what standards are taught to help students be successful. For future practices teachers need to keep changing teaching styles and practices for the students to help them be successful. Use their peers to learn new helpful teaching techniques. Finally, keep putting the students first even if that means some standards are not taught in time, students will benefit from a deeper understanding of content as opposed to more content less mastery.