A Notice to Novices: What Can We Learn from "How Should I Know?": A Book Review of How Should I Know? Pre-service Teachers' Images of Knowing by Heart in Mathematics and Science

Abstract

athleen Nolan’s (2007) book, How Should I Know? Preservice Teachers’ Images of Knowing by Heart in Mathematics and Science, is a “critical qualitative study of mathematics and science epistemologies” (p. 33), particularly preservice elementary teachers’ (PSETs) views of what it means to know mathematics and science. In this book, Nolan uses data from individual and focus group interviews and observations to describe the experiences of PSETs as both learners and future teachers. As Nolan suggests, the main point of this book is, “that this research is not about the content of the subjects so much as it is about the preservice teachers’ perceptions of, and experiences in knowing in these subject areas” (p. 32). She seeks to understand how and why these perceptions and experiences come about. Nolan uses these experiences to critique the conditions and epistemologies that exclude some groups of learners from fully engaging in mathematics and science learning and proposes alternative ways of teaching and learning mathematics and science. Nolan uses multiple voices and perspectives in this work, including those of the participants, colleagues, and other scholars from a variety of disciplines (e.g., education, psychology, social sciences, and visual arts) to discuss methodological choices and broader epistemological issues. She leverages these voices to interrogate what it means to learn and teach mathematics and science and proposes alternatives to commonly accepted norms and practices in mathematics and science education. The participants’ perspectives are used to frame a vision for helping all preservice teachers (PSTs) to experience success in teaching and learning mathe-