The mathematics education experiences of an individual's past can significantly shape their perceptions of future educational practices. This study analyzed mathematics autobiographical reflections from 325 Pre-service Elementary Teachers (PSETs) enrolled in an elementary mathematics methods course at a comprehensive university in Southcentral United States. The study period spanned from Fall 2019 to Spring 2023, encompassing the periods before, during, and after the Covid-19 pandemic. For the first research question, we explored how past experiences with mathematics influence PSETs' perceptions of mathematics content. For the second research question, we examined how the elementary mathematics methods course influenced PSETs' reflections on their previous opinions of mathematics. Through qualitative analysis, we identified themes from these narrative math autobiographies.

When analyzing the results, we combined the sub-themes into three overarching themes:
Theme 1: Emotional Experience with Math;
Theme 2: Academic Experience with Math;
Theme 3: Future Aspirations for Teaching Mathematics.

For the first two themes, the dichotomous division is based on whether the students discussed their experience more than if their opinion was based on factors such as teaching styles, peers, class environment, and the teachers themselves. The subthemes mapping to Themes 1 and 2 were: Positive Experience with Math, Negative Experience with Math, Math is Challenging, Math is Easy, Perseverance, Math is Everchanging, and Neutral Feeling for Math. These subthemes highlighted the diverse range of experiences that PSETs have had with mathematics, from early childhood through their educational journey, and how these experiences have shaped their current perceptions and attitudes towards the subject. For Theme 3, we identified the following subthemes: Improve Math Experiences, Change Math Perspective, and Nervous about Teaching. This third theme underscores the impact of the elementary mathematics methods course on PSETs' future aspirations and their confidence in teaching mathematics. These reflections indicate that the course played a significant role in reshaping PSETs' attitudes toward mathematics, making them more engaged and confident in their ability to teach the subject, while also acknowledging the challenges they may face. Overall, this qualitative study provides insights into the PSETs' experiences with mathematics, contributing valuable information to the body of research on university-level PSET preparation programs to improve elementary mathematics instruction. The findings underscore the importance of addressing both the cognitive and affective dimensions of mathematics education in teacher preparation programs, highlighting the need for supportive, engaging, and reflective teaching practices that can positively influence future educators' attitudes toward mathematics. By understanding the past experiences and current perceptions of PSETs, teacher preparation programs can better tailor their curricula to meet the needs of future educators, ultimately leading to more effective and confident mathematics instruction in elementary classrooms.

Keywords: Teacher Preparation, Mathematics Education, Pedagogy.