Research consistently highlights the importance of promoting creativity in curricula worldwide and within school settings. However, teachers often fail to recognize mathematical creativity (mainly described and evaluated through fluency, flexibility, originality, and elaboration) and are usually ill-prepared to enhance it in their students. Few studies have incorporated educational programs focused on mathematical creativity, showing positive results in enriching participants' knowledge and perception of creativity. Nevertheless, participants' teaching practices were not observed, leading to uncertainty about whether these participants could integrate opportunities for students’ development of mathematical creativity in their lessons. In this qualitative study, we attempt to bridge this gap by observing teachers' practices before and after an intervention focused on mathematical creativity. Seven in-service primary school Greek teachers participated in the study. Their teaching practices were examined through classroom observation, using an observation protocol, before and after their voluntary participation in an educational program aimed at enriching their knowledge of mathematical creativity and their ability to cultivate it in the classroom. Observational data were coded and analyzed using thematic analysis. Results showed that prior to the intervention, participants sparsely employed creativity-fostering approaches in their teaching. However, after the intervention, they significantly increased the time spent on creativity-provoking tasks, utilizing various creativity-promoting approaches and primarily focusing on developing fluency, flexibility, and generating new knowledge. Nevertheless, they did not significantly develop their skills in originality and elaboration, indicating the need for further support in cultivating these aspects of creativity. Future implications for professional teacher training and mathematics textbook writing are discussed.

The development of mathematical creativity—typically characterized by fluency, flexibility, originality, and elaboration—has garnered growing attention within mathematics education due to its cognitive value and potential to enhance problem-solving competence. Despite this increasing interest, existing research highlights a critical gap: in-service primary school teachers often exhibit a limited understanding of mathematical creativity and face significant challenges in recognizing and assessing its manifestations in classroom settings. While prior studies have explored the influence of creativity-focused coursework on prospective teachers, investigations involving in-service educators remain sparse. Addressing this gap, the present qualitative study introduces a structured educational program designed to enhance the conceptual understanding and pedagogical practices of seven Greek in-service primary school teachers regarding mathematical creativity. The program integrates theoretical frameworks with creativity-enhancing tasks sourced from established literature, encouraging participants to analyze, solve, and adapt these tasks. Data were collected through pre- and post-program interviews and questionnaires and analyzed using thematic analysis to capture shifts in perception. The findings reveal that although participants exhibited modest enrichment in their understanding—particularly concerning the value of open-ended and non-routine tasks in fostering fluency and flexibility—they continued to struggle with promoting originality and elaboration. These results underscore the necessity for sustained, targeted professional development initiatives that support teachers in identifying and implementing strategies to nurture all dimensions of mathematical creativity. This study contributes to the field by offering empirical evidence on how thoughtfully designed programs can incrementally refine in-service teachers’ perceptions and instructional approaches toward creativity in mathematics education.

Developing students’ mathematical creativity constitutes a key objective in curricula worldwide. Although teachers recognize their key role in fostering mathematical creativity, research indicates a discrepancy between their beliefs and classroom practices–the “creativity gap”. Professional development programs have enhanced teachers’ theoretical understanding of mathematical creativity, but the extent to which this translates into classroom implementation remains unclear due to limited observational data. This qualitative study examines discrepancies between teachers’ beliefs on mathematical creativity-promoting tasks and their actual classroom practices. Seven Greek in-service primary school teachers participated in interviews and classroom observation before and after attending a professional development program on mathematical creativity. Findings reveal significant gaps, particularly in designing and implementing open-ended tasks, fostering originality, and encouraging students to construct new knowledge. Even after the intervention, challenges persisted. The study underscores the need for targeted support in professional development programs to bridge the creativity gap effectively.