ABSTRACT
This introduction presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book explores the purpose of using theory education and the ways it can help open 'alternative' stories about being and doing. It is concerned with the construction of the child – specifically that the child commonly found in dominant educational narratives is a cognitive being and this often relies on a psychological development narrative, which is favoured in certain versions of education. The book focuses on the policies of the New Labour government, which were held up to be relatively progressive. It examines a different domain – that of mathematics education research. A thing to point out is that mathematics education research is not, of course, a homogenous body – there are differences and variations. The book draws on different sets of data to talk about the experience of teachers and people training to be teachers.
