|
|
<< back to Early Education/Cognitive Development HOW YOUNG CHILDREN LEARN MATH: “IT’S AS EASY AS 1-2-3” Recent emphasis on student assessment and accountability in education increases parents' concerns over their children's readiness for school. Higher expectations and greater exposure to preschool and early childhood education are evident in many communities. However, parents need not worry, as math education, for most children, begins naturally and at home. Without instruction, kindergarten children are often able to solve a wide variety of simple problems by using their own strategies. Beyond that, it is important that children continue to share their ideas with adults and peers and to build their own mathematical knowledge conceptually. The use of manipulatives Piaget, a well-known child psychologist, believes that children construct their own knowledge. This supports the use of manipulatives (objects that children can rearrange and move around) in the classroom. Many abstract mathematical concepts are more easily understood when a child is able to use multiple senses and tangible materials. For example, base ten blocks, which are blocks that can be organized into groups of ten, can be used to teach place value, addition and subtraction. Experimenting with counting sticks helps children see different combinations of numbers. Other manipulatives that may be used both at home and in early childhood classrooms include dominoes, wooden cubes, pasta (for sorting), string (for measuring), toothpicks (for grouping), dice, money, transparent counters, etc. The 100's grid While children can successfully employ their fingers or other manipulatives for counting, adding and subtracting, the 100's grid is an excellent mathematical tool used at school. A simple sheet of paper, the 100's grid consists of 100 boxes, numbered 1-100, distributed in a 10 x 10 array. Writing numbers in order on this grid fosters an understanding of number patterns and sequences. Addition can be introduced by pointing and counting on the number grid. Young children will first count by ones and later discover more sophisticated strategies. As they internalize the number grid, they begin to do mental math without the aid of a visual tool. Subtraction can be taught by counting back on the number grid. Students may also find the difference between two numbers by counting from the first number to the second number, using their previously mastered addition skills. To the novice, the 100's grid appears to be overly simplistic, but to those who understand how young children learn, it is an important tool used to help children construct their own knowledge. Elementary school math In the upper elementary grades, students continue to employ the number grid and strategies they developed earlier, even when adding or subtracting larger numbers. Many educators believe that teaching specific algorithms (rules), such as the traditional borrowing and carrying, too early in children's schooling, limits their number sense and mathematical flexibility. They contend that a child who has an opportunity to experiment with numbers will develop stronger mental math skills and knowledge of place value and estimation. One example of a strategy used by a child with developed mental math skills is adding 190 + 190 by rounding to 200 + 200, then subtracting 20 to arrive at the correct answer. Those schooled in the traditional way may feel compelled to use pencil, paper, and a vertical set-up to solve such a problem. As children progress through the early grades, counting by 2's, 3's, 5's, and 10's provides a strong basis for multiplication and division. Students familiar with various patterns from counting can apply these concepts to their understanding of multiplication facts. Again, visual patterns that students have internalized from the number grid contribute to conceptual understanding and practice of multiplication. Math opportunities at home Vgotsky's research shows that adults provide a bridge to children's independent thinking and play a significant part in a child's learning experience. There are many games and activities that parents can do at home, in the car, or at the grocery store to help prepare children for school mathematics. Games, many of which incorporate manipulatives, are entertaining and provide the practice necessary to attain strong math skills. The following examples are simple, effortless ways parents can demonstrate math's integral part in their children's everyday lives. Driving: When you are traveling, help your child find numbers on buildings, or an address you are seeking. Number search: Write down the numbers 1-50 on a piece of paper and look for those numbers at home or while you are driving in your car. License plate riddles: Have your children look for a license plate number and write it down. Then have them make the largest/smallest number they can using those digits. Guess my number: When you are driving in the car or are walking somewhere, tell your child you are thinking of a number from 1-30 and have them figure it out. Help the child by saying, "It's larger than 10, smaller than 19, larger than 13..." until he or she guesses correctly. Then switch roles. What are the coins? Put some change in your pocket. Tell your child you have $0.12 in your pocket, and ask what combinations you can have. Then have your child quiz you with coins in his or her own pocket. Symmetry: On sunny days you can stroll around the neighborhood looking for fascinating mathematical possibilities in the world around you. You can look for symmetry in leaves, count the number, size, and kinds of trees on your street, or look for various shapes and patterns of blooming flowers. Play store: Gather empty boxes from food or other items in your house and set up a store. Price the items according to the level of your child (i.e. kindergartner = $1, $2, $5...). Go shopping and have your child total your purchases. They must add up your items and give you the correct change. Grocery store fun: Have your child tell you what shapes the different items are (i.e. square boxes, rectangle boxes, cones, cylinders, etc.). More grocery fun: When you get home, have your child estimate how many items are in the bag. Compare the different bags. Which are heavier or lighter? In the news: Give your child a blank sheet with 100 boxes like a number grid. Then have him or her go through the newspaper to find every number from 1 to 100. Children can also collect numbers in the same range (10-30) and arrange them in ascending or descending order. Mathematical books: When visiting your local library, look for counting books and literature that teach mathematical concepts. Susan Crist, M.Ed., is a 3rd grade teacher at Middlefork School. Sheri Curran, M.Ed., teaches kindergarten at Middlefork. |
    |
