Teachers learning from teachers

There is much debate within mathematics teacher education over ways in which professional and academic foci could be made to complement each other. On the one hand, teachers’ craft knowledge is emphasized, mainly as this relates to the particular and local level of teaching; on the other hand, the importance of academic subject knowledge cannot be denied. In this chapter the focus will be on how to blend and balance the two through activities in which teachers learn from other teachers, particularly the co-learning of teachers and teacher educators. It will discuss professional relationships, reflective practice, community building, and research in practice. Examples of research-based programs involving lesson study (LS) and the Learners’ Perspective Study (LPS) have moved the relevant research in this area to yet another level, in which theory and practice are combined. Projects such as these and others from diverse parts of the world will be presented and discussed.