A Study on Pre-service Mathematics Teachers’ Perceptions of Class Demonstration and Teaching Practicum

This study aims to compare and analyze the differences in pre-service mathematics teachers' perceptions of class demonstration before school practicum and their teaching practicum during school practicum.To achieve this, the questionnaire included reflective questions on the class demonstration and teaching practicum.An evaluation of 30 preservice teachers' class demonstrations and teaching practicum revealed significant differences through paired-sample t-tests.The reasons for these differences were further investigated by analyzing the memos written by the preservice teachers.The results showed that each class demonstration and teaching practicum has unique strengths and weaknesses.Teaching practicum provided a sense of realism and satisfaction through interaction with students.At the same time, class demonstrations were stronger in applying theoretical knowledge and providing higher-quality feedback.Based on these findings, the following specific directions are proposed to enhance the teaching competence of preservice teachers by complementing both class demonstration and teaching practicum First, providing pre-service teachers with a well-balanced education is essential by integrating the theoretical knowledge applied in class demonstration with the practical experience gained from teaching practicum.Second, it is necessary to offer preservice teachers more field experience and actual teaching opportunities to enhance the realism of their education and to strengthen their confidence and aptitude for the teaching profession.