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This paper investigates primary school teachers who teach mathematics, focusing on the characteristics and specificities of these professional figures and on their crucial role in shaping children’s early relationship with mathematics at the beginning of compulsory schooling. The study is part of the broader research project PRIN 2022 “Coming to terms not only with the pandemic. Mathematics learning loss in primary school: underlying factors and intervention” (pi University of Milano-Bicocca), which examines early difficulties and inequalities in mathematical learning during the first years of primary education.

While much of the existing literature focuses primarily on students’ cognitive abilities through quantitative approaches, this research adopts a mixed-methods perspective and considers the viewpoints of the main actors involved in the educational process - students, teachers, and parents. The contribution presented here specifically focuses on teachers, exploring their professional biographies and their attitudes toward mathematics. Who are the teachers who teach mathematics in primary school? What are the key features of their educational and professional trajectories? And how do they relate to the discipline they teach?

The empirical basis consists of eight focus groups conducted with 55 primary school teachers - 95% of whom are women - in the metropolitan areas of Milan and Naples, complemented by a survey administered to 475 teachers in 2025. The qualitative analysis highlights polarized narratives about mathematics, often framed in terms of “love” or “fear,” rooted in teachers’ own school experiences and in the influence of former teachers. These biographical experiences contribute to shaping teachers’ professional identities and their teaching practices. In several cases, teachers report having been assigned to teach mathematics not by personal choice but due to organizational needs within schools, a factor that may influence their confidence and attitudes toward the subject. Across the focus groups, participants emphasize the importance of teachers’ attitudes in shaping students’ experiences with mathematics. According to the teachers, negative attitudes or anxiety toward the subject may be unintentionally transmitted to students, while enthusiasm, confidence, and pedagogical strategies - such as games, problem-solving activities, and creative approaches - can significantly enhance students’ motivation and learning outcomes.

Survey data further enrich these findings by showing that many teachers recall having experienced difficulties in learning mathematics at school or perceive their past mathematical abilities as average compared to their classmates. Nevertheless, a large proportion of teachers report enjoying teaching mathematics. This suggests that teachers’ relationships with the discipline can evolve throughout their professional trajectories and that teaching mathematics in primary school often involves educators whose attitudes toward the subject have been reshaped through training, teaching practice, and professional experience. Overall, the findings highlight how teachers’ discourses reflect broader cultural narratives about mathematics, gender, and ability, while also underscoring the importance of professional socialization processes and institutional contexts in shaping teaching practices and educational opportunities.