Abstract
The study explored the relationship between Intersen Phase mathematics teachers and curriculum materials by examining how the teachers use prescribed curriculum materials. This study uses the lens of Remillard’s (2005) framework of the components of the teacher-curriculum relationship to examine teachers’ mobilisation of the affordances of mathematics textbooks. Data was collected using pre- and post-interviews and teaching lesson observations with three intermediate and one senior phase mathematics teacher were utilised. Based on the framework of components of the teacher-curriculum relationship (Remillard, 2005), I analysed the data obtained from the data sets, as well as using the Pedagogical Design Capacity Framework (Brown, 2009) and Leshota’s (2015) Teacher-Resource-Relationship Framework. The Constant comparative method (Glasser & Strauss, 1967) was used to analyse the qualitative data using inductive reasoning.
The findings show that textbooks and teachers’ guides play a role in informing the teachers' content knowledge. The teacher’s experience, knowledge, and beliefs influence their interaction with textbooks and teachers’ guides. The findings also indicate that two teachers had a non-participatory relationship with curriculum resources while the other two had a participatory relationship with curriculum resources. In conclusion, curriculum resources are essential in mathematics classrooms but require teachers to participate and have a relationship with them.