What is Ambitious (Mathematics) Teaching? Clarifying a Key Concept in Education Research and Practice

2025/11/06 by William Zahner, Kristin Tenney, Kevin Pelaez +1

paper · doi:10.1177/00220574251393976

crossref issued 2025/11/06 · crossref published 2025/11/06 · crossref published-online 2025/11/06 · crossref created 2025/11/07 · crossref deposited 2026/04/29 · crossref indexed 2026/07/30

Abstract

Ambitious Mathematics Teaching (AMT) describes a reform-oriented vision of mathematics instruction that emphasizes conceptual rigor, student reasoning, and equitable participation. Although the term is widely used, its meaning remains variably defined. We trace the intellectual origins of AMT and synthesize three core dimensions that recur in the literature: using nonroutine, discipline-aligned tasks, eliciting and responding to student thinking, and positioning students as mathematical authorities. We also examine how equity has been conceptualized and evolved within AMT-related research. We conclude by outlining future directions, including clarifying equity frameworks and developing multilevel supports for enacting AMT in diverse school settings.

Citations

• Developing Ambitious Mathematics Instruction Through Web-Based Coaching: A Randomized Field Trial
• School District Educational Infrastructure and Change at Scale: Teacher Peer Interactions and Their Beliefs About Mathematics Instruction
• Core Practices and Pedagogies of Teacher Education
• Making Connections in Practice
• Professional Noticing of Children's Mathematical Thinking
• Sociomathematical Norms, Argumentation, and Autonomy in Mathematics
• Returning to the root: A culturally relevant approach to mathematics pedagogy
• With an Eye on the Mathematical Horizon: Dilemmas of Teaching Elementary School Mathematics