Dr. Leatham grew up in Rexburg, Idaho where he attended Madison High School and then BYU-Idaho (known then as Ricks College). He spent two years in France and Belgium (Belgium Brussels mission) as a missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He has loved living in Logan, Utah (while attending Utah State University), Athen, Georgia (while attending the University of Georgia), Portland, Oregon (while working at Portland State University), and now in Spanish Fork, Utah. He has been married to Nancy Lynn (Strong) Leatham since 2002 and they are the proud parents of two children and no pets. He enjoys reading, singing, playing the piano, composing music, and playing handball.
Teaching Interests
Teaching Mathematics with Technology
Calculus
Scholarly Inquiry in Mathematics Education
The Book of Mormon
Research Interests
Dr. Leatham’s research focuses on understanding how teachers learn to facilitate student mathematics learning. In particular, he studies how teachers learn to use technology in teaching and learning mathematics, how they learn to recognize and use students’ mathematical thinking, and how their beliefs about mathematics, its teaching and learning are related to the learning-to-teach and teaching processes.
Van Zoest, L. R., Peterson, B. E., Rougée, A. O. T., Stockero, S. L., Leatham, K. R., & Freeburn, B. (2022). Conceptualizing important facets of teacher responses to student mathematical thinking. International Journal of Mathematical Education in Science and Technology, 53(10), 2583-2608. https://doi.org/10.1080/0020739X.2021.1895341
Peterson, B. E., Stockero, S. L., Leatham, K. R., Van Zoest, L. R. (2022). Tackling tangential student contributions. Mathematics Teacher: Learning and Teaching PK-12, 115(9), 618-624. https://doi.org/10.5951/MTLT.2021.0327
Stockero, S. L., Van Zoest, L. R., Freeburn, B., Peterson, B. E., & Leatham, K. R. (2022). Teachers’ responses to instances of student mathematical thinking with varied potential to support student learning. Mathematics Education Research Journal, 34(1), 165-187. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13394-020-00334-x
McCulloch, A. W., Leatham, K. R., Lovett, J. N., Bailey, N. G., & Reed, S. D. (2021). How we are preparing secondary mathematics teachers to teach with technology: Findings from a nationwide survey. Journal for Research in Mathematics Education, 52(1), 94-107. https://doi.org/10.5951/jresematheduc-2020-0205
Stockero, S. L., Van Zoest, L. R., Freeburn, B., Peterson, B. E., & Leatham, K. R. (2021). Teachers’ responses to instances of student mathematical thinking with varied potential to support student learning. Mathematics Education Research Journal. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13394-020-00334-x
Peterson, B. E., Leatham, K. R., Merrill, L. M., Van Zoest, L. R., & Stockero, S. L. (2020). Clarifiable ambiguity in classroom mathematics discourse. Investigations in Mathematics Learning, 12(1), 28-37. https://doi.org/10.1080/19477503.2019.1619148
Stockero, S. L., Leatham, K. R., Ochieng, M. A., Van Zoest, L. R., & Peterson, B. E. (2020). Teachers’ orientations toward using student mathematical thinking as a resource during whole-class discussion. Journal of Mathematics Teacher Education, 23(3), 237-267. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10857-018-09421-0
Peterson, B. E. & Leatham, K. R. (2018). The structure of student teaching can change the focus to students’ mathematical thinking. In M. E. Strutchens, R. Huang, D. Potari, & L. Losano (Eds.), Educating prospective secondary mathematics teachers: Knowledge, identity, and pedagogical practices (pp. 9-26). Cham, Switzerland: Springer International.
Williams, S. R., & Leatham, K. R. (2017). Journal quality in mathematics education. Journal for Research in Mathematics Education, 48, 369-396.
Van Zoest, L. R., Stockero, S. L., Leatham, K. R., Peterson, B. E., Atanga, N. A., & Ochieng, M. A. (2017). Attributes of instances of student mathematical thinking that are worth building on in whole-class discussion. Mathematical Thinking and Learning, 19, 33-54.
Stockero, S. L., Leatham, K. R., Van Zoest, L. R., & Peterson, B. E. (2017). Noticing distinctions among and within instances of student mathematical thinking. In E. O. Schack, M. H. Fisher, & J. A. Wilhelm (Eds.), Teacher noticing: Bridging and broadening perspectives, contexts, and frameworks (pp. 467-480). Cham, Switzerland: Springer International.
Teuscher, D., Leatham, K. R., Peterson, B. E. (2017). From a framework to a lens: Learning to notice student mathematical thinking. In E. O. Schack, M. H. Fisher, & J. A. Wilhelm (Eds.), Teacher noticing: Bridging and broadening perspectives, contexts, and frameworks (pp. 31-48). Cham, Switzerland: Springer International.
Leatham, K. R., & Barton, D. R. (2017). What (research on) technology in the mathematics classroom can and cannot do. In D. A. Spangler, & J. J. Wanko (Eds.). Enhancing classroom practice with research behind Principles to Actions (pp. 129-139). Reston, VA: National Council of Teachers of Mathematics.
Corey, D. L., Leatham, K. R., & Peterson, B. E. (2017). The instructional quality of mathematics student teachers in the United States and Japan: The possible impact of the structure of student teaching. In J. W. Son, T. Watanabe, & J. J. Lo (Eds.). What matters? Research trends in international comparative studies in mathematics education (pp. 215-236). Cham, Switzerland: Springer International.
Leatham, K. R. (2015). Observations on citation practices in mathematics education research. Journal for Research in Mathematics Education, 46, 253-269.
Leatham, K. R., Peterson, B. E., Stockero, S. L., & Van Zoest, L. R. (2015). Conceptualizing mathematically significant pedagogical opportunities to build on student thinking. Journal for Research in Mathematics Education, 46, 88-124.
Lo, J. J., Leatham, K. R., & Van Zoest, L. R. (Eds.). (2014). Research trends in mathematics teacher education. Cham, Switzerland: Springer International.
Leatham, K. R., & Wienecke, T. (2014). The case of the Case of Benny: Elucidating the influence of a landmark study in mathematics education. Journal of Mathematical Behavior, 35, 101-109.
Leatham, K. R. (Ed.). (2013). Vital directions for mathematics education research. New York, NY: Springer.
Rich, P. J., Leatham, K. R., & Wright, G. A. (2013). Convergent cognition. Instructional Science, 41, 431-453.
Leatham, K. R. (2012). Problems identifying independent and dependent variables. School Science and Mathematics, 112, 349-358.
Lovin, L., Sanchez, W., Leatham, K. R., Chauvot, J., Kastberg, S. E., & Norton, A. (2012). Examining beliefs and practices of self and others: Pivotal points for change and growth for mathematics teacher educators. Studying Teacher Education, 8, 51-68.
Leatham, K. R., & Hill, D. S. (2010). Exploring our complex math identities. Mathematics Teaching in the Middle School, 16, 224-231.
Leatham, K. R., & Peterson, B. E. (2010). Secondary mathematics cooperating teachers’ perceptions of the purpose of student teaching. Journal of Mathematics Teacher Education, 13, 99-119.
Leatham, K. R., & Peterson, B. E. (2010). Purposefully designing student teaching to focus on students’ mathematical thinking. In J. Luebeck & J. W. Lott (Eds.), Mathematics teaching: Putting research into practice at all levels (pp. 225-239). San Diego, CA: Association of Mathematics Teacher Educators.
Peterson, B. E., & Leatham, K. R. (2009). Learning to use students’ mathematical thinking to orchestrate a class discussion. In L. Knott (Ed.), The role of mathematics discourse in producing leaders of discourse (pp. 99-128). Charlotte, NC: Information Age Publishing.
Leatham, K. R. (2007). Pre-service secondary mathematics teachers’ beliefs about the nature of technology in the classroom. Canadian Journal of Science, Mathematics and Technology Education, 7, 183-207.
Leatham, K. R. (2006). Viewing teachers’ beliefs as sensible systems. Journal of Mathematics Teacher Education, 9, 91-102.
Selected Presentations
Peterson, B. E., Leatham, K. R., Stockero, S. L., Van Zoest, L., DeLeeuw, W., Hicks, M. D., Koehne, C., Thanheiser, E., & Bui, M. (2022, February). Using public records to support class discussion. Presentation at the 26th annual meeting of the Association of Mathematics Teacher Educators, Las Vegas, NV.
Wieman, R., Perry, J., Leatham, K. R., Conway, B. M., Strutchens, M. E., & Liebars, C. S. (2022, February). Improving secondary clinical practice. Presentation at the 26th annual meeting of the Association of Mathematics Teacher Educators, Las Vegas, NV.
Van Zoest, L. R., Madis, C. E., Peterson, B. E., Leatham, K. R., & Stockero, S. L. (2021, February). Using a Public Record to Anchor Whole-Class Mathematical Discussions. Presentation at the 25th annual meeting of the Association of Mathematics Teacher Educators, Virtual Conference.
Peterson, B. E., Stockero, S. L., Van Zoest, L. R., Leatham, K. R. (2021, February). Establishing student mathematical thinking as an object of class discussion. Presentation at the 25th annual meeting of the Association of Mathematics Teacher Educators, Virtual Conference.
Leatham, K. R., Stockero, S. L., Peterson, B. E., Van Zoest, L. R. (2020, February). Understanding and developing skills needed to build on student mathematical thinking. Presentation at the 24th annual meeting of the Association of Mathematics Teacher Educators, Phoenix, AZ.
McCulloch, A., Leatham, K. R., Bailey, N. G., & Reed, S. D. (2020, February). Addressing the SPMTs: Critical conversations about preparing mathematics teachers to utilize technology in their instruction. Presentation at the 24th annual meeting of the Association of Mathematics Teacher Educators, Phoenix, AZ.
Peterson, B. E., Leatham, K. R. (2019, October). Building: A way to productively use high-leverage student mathematical thinking. Presentation at the regional conference and exposition of the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, Salt Lake City, UT.
Leatham, K. R. (2019, October). Positioning students as sense-makers: Questioning our questions. Presentation at the regional conference and exposition of the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, Salt Lake City, UT.
Leatham, K. R., Peterson, B. E. (2019, April). To pursue or not to pursue: Making decisions about student mathematical thinking. Presentation at the ninety-seventh annual meeting of the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, San Diego, CA.
Stockero, S. L., Leatham, K. R., & Peterson, B. E. (2019, February). Examining which student thinking is considered in responsive teaching. Presentation at the 23rd annual meeting of the Association of Mathematics Teacher Educators, Orlando, FL.
Van Zoest, L. R., Bishop, J. P., Hardison, H., Przybyla-Kuchek, J., Peterson, B. E., Stockero, S. L., Leatham, K. R., Freeburn, B., & Kazemi, E. (2018, April). Analyzing teachers’ responses to student mathematical contributions during whole-class interactions: Goals, grain sizes, and coding schemes. Symposium presented at the annual meeting of the American Educational Research Association, New York, NY.
Leatham, K. R. (2017, June). Research dissemination in mathematics education. Virtual presentation at the mathematics education pre-conference school of the 4th Strathmore International Mathematics Conference, Nairobi, Kenya.
Leatham, K. R. (2017, April). Using technology to engage in whole-class mathematical inquiry. Presentation at the ninety-fifth annual meeting of the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, San Antonio, TX.
Stockero, S. L., Van Zoest, L. R., Leatham, K. R., & Peterson, B. E. (2017, February). Barriers to building on student mathematical thinking. Presentation at the 21st annual meeting of the Association of Mathematics Teacher Educators, Orlando, FL.
Professional Affiliations
National Council of Teachers of Mathematics
Association of Mathematics Teacher Educators
North American Chapter of the International Group for the Psychology of Mathematics Education
