Extract from EDMA262 Week 6 Journal Entry

Something that also stuck with me in the lecture is the emphasis of 0 as a starting point on
the ruler. I believe it is so important for children to understand this concept and I believe the
classroom teacher should regularly include 0 into the students mathematical experiences in
order for this misconception to be addressed. That is why I highly appreciate my associate
teacher always regarding 0 in group counting exercises, she never starts or finishes on 1
and I believe this is strongly building the students awareness of the number 0 and its place
in our numerical system. By simply including 0 in counting exercises at a young age can help
build knowledge for all strands of mathematics such as measurement, algebra, multiplication
and more
Extract from EDMA262 Week 10 Journal Entry
This week at placement the mathematics lesson was very exciting, it explored many different
aspects of place value that I learnt in readings, the tutorial and the lectures in week 2 and 3.
A large container of popsicle sticks were presented to the students, she announced to the
class, I would like everyone to represent the number 27 with the popsicle sticks. However I
want you to present them in a way that would be the quickest and easiest way to count
them.

After learning place value in weeks 2 and 3 at a significantly deep level, I was extremely
excited to see this in action. The following photographs show some of the students
responses in the classroom.

Two different interesting representations of 27 through using colour.

Its easier to count this way
- Perhaps next time offer this child the same coloured sticks

This student arranged them in various

groups. However there was no consistency
with the number of sticks in each group. I
raised this idea with the student. I might
have to still count them individually if I do
not know how many sticks are in each
group

Arranging in groups of 4 and 5. Can you count these quickly by counting by 4s?

Left: A student arranging in bundles but did not know how many they placed in the bundle.
This student is showing an understanding that it is easier to count in bundles but has not
reached that point of how many to put in the bundle.
Right: A child that used two bundles of 10 and 7 individual sticks to represent 27. The
teacher gathered all the students around this representation and showed how it was so easy
to see 27 and to count it quickly and efficiently.

Extract from EDMA262 Week 12 Journal Entry

The second half of the lesson
incorporated aspects that I
learnt through readings,
tutorials and lectures in week
2; which was displaying the
number as the numeric
symbol, the visual quantity
and the written word. The
numeric symbol was
suggested to be placed at the
top of the triangle, the visual
quantity on one side of the
triangle (representing it as
bundles and sticks) and the written word on the right hand side. I was so pleased to see
what I had learnt at university implemented in the classroom and I believe this activity was a
great way to explore the concept. There are boundless activities that can be done with the
three number representations however I believe this activity was particularly meaningful as
they are being incorporated into one element on a page. By doing this students can see all
of the elements before them and make connections.