In the data analyzed, the emphasis of the mathematics teacher educators was that student teachers should know the procedures for solving a particular mathematical problem in order to teach well school mathematics. For example, extract 1 illustrates this point. In this particular extract, Mr. Chipasula was telling his student teachers to discuss how to multiply two decimal numbers in their groups and then come up with a general procedure for multiplying decimals for school mathematics teaching. Immediately, student teachers began formulating the procedures in their groups.