CLASSROOM TEACHERS BECOMING TEACHER EDUCATORS: "JUST" FACILITATORS OR ACTIVE AGENTS?1

This paper considers two case studies of classroom teachers who took on specific professional development responsibilities in their own schools. Analysis of the two cases focuses on the teachers' definitions of their roles as leaders among peers and decisions to take action based on their developing understanding of their responsibilities. Enacting the proposed reforms in mathematics education requires fundamental rethinking of basic assumptions about the mathematics students learn, how they learn it, and which classroom structures best support that learning (Cohen et al., 1993; Schifter & Fosnot, 1993; Sykes, 1996). In order to support change in substantial numbers of elementary classrooms, ongoing, long-term staff development is required at the local level. Such "scaling up" requires a large work force of teacher educators—a work force we do not have. The obvious source for expanding this work force is teachers themselves—teachers who are committed, prepared, and skilled at working with other teachers (Friel & Bright, 1997; Mumme & Acquarelli, 1996). Yet, the necessity of involving classroom teachers as primary agents in teacher education in mathematics raises many questions, from what the roles of these teachers should be to how the effort can be sustained financially to what kind of preparation teachers need as they move into the role of teacher educator.