Pre-service Elementary Teachers’ Mathematics Content Knowledge: A Predictor of Sixth Graders’ Mathematics Performance

This study examined the knowledge of mathematics content of elementary preservice teachers at a sixth grade level. The researcher administered a mathematics test for sixth graders mandated by the Texas Education Agency to pre-service teachers; the same test was given to sixth graders in Texas. The study found that pre-service teachers performed lowest on objective four of the test which measures knowledge of measurement in mathematics. This performance was compared with children’s scores in objective four and found that children also received the lowest score among the objectives of the test. This study implies that teachers’ knowledge could affect students’ performance on mathematics. The participants were 87 preservice teachers with over 90% having a Hispanic ethnic background