Appreciative Inquiry and Mathematics Teaching

Abstract

This is a narrative study entitled "Appreciative inquiry and mathematics teaching". The objectives of this study were to find out the perception and practices of teachers on appreciative pedagogy as well as to explore the opportunities and challenges of appreciative pedagogy in mathematics classroom. My research site was Bhaktapur district as a student researcher. Focus group discussion, participants interview and classroom observation were the main tools of my study. I had purposively selected and interviewed 5 mathematics teachers and 20 students from different schools. The collected data was analyzed by descriptive method. From the study, I found that appreciative pedagogy based mathematics classrooms are more interdependently than independently and its contributed in mathematics learning and achieving learning achievement but structural changes in classroom environment, administrative authorities, and curriculum and evaluation methodologies are to be brought accordingly. The newly developed appreciative pedagogy focuses on students’ interests and their potential to learn the particular subject. This aims on finding out the positivity in students, enabling their past successes and conducting the learning activities for fostering the same. Hence this study tries to discuss about empowering mathematics learning through appreciative ways. Hence, Appreciative inquiry focused on making proper respect to student's need and interest upon mathematics learning, the knowledge they possess, the background successes and potentials and conducting learning activities in a similar way.