Discovering Potential: How teacher education and providing learning opportunities helps underserved students

Balanced research and practice

This mixed-methods study sought to understand how coupling teacher education with research-based instructional interventions could influence underrepresented students participation in advanced mathematics coursework in a single school district. Results of this study show that teachers need professional development and that the amount and quality of the education makes a difference in their attitudes towards typically underrepresented gifted learners, their comfort with using research-based practices for gifted learners in their classroom, and their identification of underrepresented students for advanced mathematics classes. Students identified four themes in interviews and demonstrated significant mathematics growth during the project. The study further demonstrates how students with mathematics potential can thrive when given the opportunity and evidenced-based support.