Children demonstrate their capacity to understand mathematical concepts at a very young age. Break a cookie in two and ask a young child which part of the cookie he/she would like to eat; he/she will most likely pick the larger piece, demonstrating he/she is capable of understanding the concept of “more and less.”

According to the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM), developing a strong foundation in mathematics is essential for preschool students. In fact, experts agree the earlier a child understands that math is an important part of life, the better. The more skilled a child becomes at early math skills, the more likely he/she will succeed in school. The NCTM suggests that a high quality program for young children includes a significant amount of mathematics.

The environment of The Creative Way shall encourage students to take on challenges and to be active learners in mathematics.

Math skills will help improve

  1. Creativity
  2. Logical and critical thinking
  3. Collaboration
  4. Communications
  5. Students will develop
  6. Reasoning
  7. Problem solving
  8. Concentration
  9. Perseverance

Children’s understanding of mathematical concepts requires

  1. Using concrete objects
  2. Using vocabulary
  3. Plenty of time
  4. Linking the math to everyday experiences

In Mimi’s Place classroom children will gain an understanding of mathematical concepts – size, quantity, shapes, patterns, sequence, space and categorization – through hands on, active, repetitive and playful experiences.

Objectives:

  1. Sorting objects – recognizes similarities and differences in objects (e.g., putting away toys requires sorting).
  2. Patterns – recognizes patterns (e.g., red, blue, red, blue…what comes next?).
  3. Compare properties – recognizes size, height, weight and color.
  4. Counting from 1-10 – uses vocabulary (e.g., I ate three crackers).
  5. One-to-one correspondence – counts objects, naming one number for each object.
  6. Countenance – knows what comes next without recounting.
  7. Ordinance – learns what is first, second, third, fourth…last.
  8. More/less – learns addition and subtraction by one (e.g., What is one more than 3? What is one less than 2?).
  9. Position, direction, distance – identifies under, next to, behind, on, underneath, the end, near, far, short and long.

Mathematics has many dimensions, whether at the level of a preschool child or the level of a more advanced learner. In preschool, a child should explore these dimensions—number sense (e.g., the numeral “3” represents three objects; 3 is more than 2 and less than 4); geometry (patterns and shapes); measurement (size, amount, distance); spacial relations (in front of, behind, over, under, near or far); and the language of math (more than, less than, equal to). Mathematics should not be taught as a stand-alone concept; it should be acknowledged as an integral part of our everyday lives.

TIPS FOR TEACHING MATHEMATICS

  • Make math “real.” Teach math in the context of everyday lives.
  • Remember and teach that math is more than numbers.
  • Teach math across the curriculum, not as an isolated subject.
  • Individualize math instruction to the children’s needs, build upon what they already know.

WEBSITES WHERE MORE ACTIVITIES CAN BE FOUND

More activities by subject and theme