Instructional Strategies and Rigor: Private School Administrator and Teacher Perspectives on Improving Minnesota’s College Mathematic Readiness

Author

Nichelle GuillaumeFollow

Abstract

Instructional Strategies and Rigor: Private School Administrator and Teacher Perspectives on Improving Minnesota’s College Mathematic Readiness (May 2021)

This qualitative study explored private high school administrator and teacher perspectives on instructional strategies and rigor to improve Minnesota’s college mathematic readiness. Data collection sources for the study included individual interviews, focus groups, and document review. The study produced four emergent themes from the data collected in the individual interviews and focus groups: (a) Importance of Productive Struggle in Mathematic Instruction; (b) Necessary Balance of Mathematical Conceptual Understanding with Skill Acquisition; (c) Connection of Continuous Assessment to Mathematic Content Mastery and (d) Variation and Customization of Mathematical Instructional Practices. Findings from the study concluded that at the private school of study administrators set forth specific academic requirements necessary to implement rigor and promote reaching college readiness, and the teachers create the instructional strategies to meet these requirements to prepare students for college mathematics. Recommendations for research include a study of the same phenomenon in a larger school, a comparative study of private and public schools and the instructional strategies used to support college readiness, and the perspectives of college mathematic faculty on the readiness of entering college freshmen.

Date Dissertation Completed

4-2021

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctorate of Education

Department

Education Studies

Dissertation Advisor

Barbara D. Holmes

Dissertation Committee Members

DeJuanna Parker, Leo McCauley Brown, Kent Willis, Dennis Westbrooks

Location

Winona, Minnesota

Comments

Author Information:

Nichelle M. Guillaume
BS Mathematics University of Wisconsin La Crosse
MS Education Winona State University
EdD Winona State University

Dissertation Advisory Committee Chair:

Dr. Barbara D. Holmes

Recommended Citation

Guillaume, Nichelle, "Instructional Strategies and Rigor: Private School Administrator and Teacher Perspectives on Improving Minnesota’s College Mathematic Readiness" (2021). Education Doctorate Dissertations. 2.
https://openriver.winona.edu/educationedddissertations/2