PROSPECTIVE TEACHERS' BELIEFS REGARDING THEIR PREPAREDNESS FOR TEACHING MATHEMATICS AT ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS

This contribution is based on the premise that positive beliefs of pre-graduate math teachers at elementary schools and the quality of their didactic preparation may guarantee their positive attitude to their future profession. This contribution is based on a research study carried out in May and June 2016 among a total of 111 prospective elementary school math teachers. For the needs of the research we used the Beliefs about Preparedness for Teaching Mathematics from the international study Teacher Education and Development Study in Mathematics (TEDS-M), examining the preparedness of prospective math teachers from various countries to carry out their profession at elementary schools and junior high schools. The research-acquired data was analyzed in detail in five selected areas - basics of constructivist education, setting educational goals, didactic aids and their use during math lessons, evaluation of students' performance and collaboration with (the students') parents and (the teachers') colleagues.