Making 10 min count: Equity as focused action for learning gains

Abstract Writing on equity has persistently identified problems with an emphasis on outcomes and the deficit framings of marginalized communities associated with this focus. In this paper we focus on an Initial Teacher Education intervention that established a multi-institutional primary mathematics teacher educators community of practice (CoP) collaborating to develop number sense through mental mathematics. The CoP was built around shared concerns about poor mathematical outcomes and weak number sense among South African learners and primary pre-service teachers. It came together around exploring the models and materials from the Mental Starters Assessment Programme (MSAP) to strengthen the teaching and learning of efficient calculation strategies in lesson starters. Our focus in this paper is on analysis of primary mathematics teacher educators’ reflections on their experiences of participation in the CoP that pointed to shifts in orientation towards teaching for changes in learning efficient calculation strategies, rather than simply acknowledging poor outcomes . Drawing on questionnaire and interview data, and using Fullan’s (2001 and 2008) writing on multi-level change processes, we noted actions and experiences that suggested enablers for change centred around mental mathematics routines, and consistent and iterative addressing of pre-service teachers’ and learners’ early number fluencies and concepts.