Matematikundervisning utifrån ett elevperspektiv

Sammanfattning: This casestudy investigated students’ perceptions of their mathematics classroom where their teacher actively tried to change her teaching as suggested by the Swedish National Agency, Skolverket. Students' perspectives provide access to information which could deepen understandings about what is needed if major changes in teaching practices in mathematics is to be successful. The research focuses on the tensions that arise from the differences between students' perceptions and intentions of the teacher. The tensions could be expressed explicitly by the participants, but at times also implicitly. Tensions that were implied are called po-tential tensions. Potential tensions appeared when students' perceptions about what mathematics teaching should be, based on their understandings of traditional mathematics teaching, restricted their possibilities for interpreting the teacher's intention for her teaching. Thus, hidden tensions may result in a hidden resistance to the new teaching practices which impedes their acceptance. For the student to be able to accept the teacher's invitation to participate in changing teaching practices, requires an understanding that it involves both new socio-mathematical norms and social norms. Participation in an ongoing practice filled with reform-adapted teaching methods does not necessarily mean that students have accepted the new practices as being appropriate mathematics teaching. Instead, new norms must be actively negotiated. To bring about change, the teacher must not only challenge but also understand students' perceptions of school mathematics and classroom norms. Knowledge of the tensions thus becomes an asset for the development of new teaching practices.