Exploring Prospective Teachers’ Initial Views on the Teaching and Learning of Mathematics: A Narrative Approach

Mathematics teacher education research often focuses on ways teacher education can change prospective teachers' views in ways prescribed by teacher educators. In this paper, we explore a different perspective, one that emphasises the importance of understanding the diversity of views that prospective teachers bring to their teacher education programmes, not as a basis of change, but as a platform to build upon. In doing so, we make a case for ‘aestheticising’ mathematics teacher education research and propose an arts-based approach to analysing and presenting data concerning prospective teachers views on the teaching and learning of mathematics. We exemplify this approach by presenting a fictionalised dialogue between four prospective teachers from Sweden, based on interviews conducted prior to them entering teacher education.