Several misconceptions that might be held by teachers

1. Young children are not ready for mathematics education;

When we begin to talk about teaching mathematics to young children, there are
always teachers who express their concerns, sometimes fiercely, that 'Young
children are just not ready to learn maths yet!' These teachers feel there is no need
to hurry children or overwhelm them with mathematics; it would do more harm than
good to children who are too young and thus not ready to understand.
2. Mathematics is for some bright kids with mathematics genes
Many teachers believe, either explicitly or implicitly, that some children may be
born with mathematical aptitudes or mathematics genes, and others are not. Some
teachers even believe that children from certain groups (such as gender, ethnicity
and race) are blessed with superior mathematical ability. Some teachers feel there
is not much that can be done to change or improve the innate ability of those
unfortunate children who are inherently not good at mathematics.
3. Simple numbers and shapes are enough
Many teachers typically have a very narrow concept of the mathematical content
that young children should learn. Teachers often limit their focus to one-to-one
correspondence, simple counting and numbers, and perhaps naming and sorting
simple shapes, even when children are capable of learning far more complex
content. It is unfortunate that mathematics is often equated to arithmetic or
numeracy (perhaps because it rhymes with and seems at the same level as
literacy).
4. Language and literacy are more important than mathematics
Many teachers claim that language and literacy are by far the most important topics
to be taught in early childhood, and that a focus on these subjects leaves little time
for mathematics. While teachers speak passionately and confidently about language
and literacy, the silence can be deafening regarding the teaching of mathematics.
5. Teachers should provide an enriched physical environment, step back,
and let the children play
Another common misconception is that the teacher's role is to set up a physical
environment with a rich variety of mathematical objects and materials, and that
mathematical learning occurs incidentally, through exploration during free play,
with little teacher participation.
6. Mathematics should not be taught as stand-alone subject matter

Many teachers said they did not and should not teach mathematics as a single
subject. They strongly believed that mathematics should be discussed only when
children show interest or when it is integrated or disguised within other activities (so
that children do not know they are learning mathematics.
How to Handle Maths Anxiety Parents can help a child overcome maths anxiety
by offering reassurance, practical assistance, and by making it fun. Most of all, they
can set the tone by developing a positive attitude toward maths themselves, and
trying to find a way to use numbers as much as they can with their child in
everyday life. Here are some ways parents can help their child avoid stress about
maths.
1. Play maths games.
Get some number-centric board games such as Monopoly or use some common
kitchen items to play with numbers, playing games that are maths and numbers
oriented is an excellent way to make maths fun and get children interesting in doing
maths.
2. Be aware of your own attitude toward maths.
Have you ever said things such as, Im not good at maths, or I just dont like
maths? If so, consider changing your attitude, or at least not voicing such negative
ideas about maths out loud. Your child is watching and learning from you, and if you
express negative feelings about maths rather than talk about the fun and important
aspects of maths, then you are doing your child a disservice.
3. Practice with your child.
When it comes to maths skills such as addition, subtraction, multiplication, and
division, nothing beats practicing. And learning multiplication facts is a matter of
drilling. Practice multiplication tables on the way to school, while your child is
having a bath, right before story time at night -- whenever you can squeeze it in.
Print out maths worksheets and practice doing maths problems, making things fun
and challenging by using a timer or giving your child a treat for finishing the
problems and getting faster doing them.
4. Get rid of the idea that some people are not good at maths.
This is a particularly important message for girls, who may pick up the
misconception prevalent in the world today that boys are better at maths than girls.
While some experts have asserted that a maths gender gap no longer exists, other
researchers have argued that it does; the reason for those differences are likely
complex and varied, including parents and educators failure to nurture girls
confidence in maths, societal pressure for girls not to succeed in maths, and
parents and teachers failure to spot girls early struggles with maths, which can
then worsen over time.

5. Get help early.

And while were on the subject of a maths gender gap, a fascinating study from the
University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign found that the maths gender gap
between girls and boys widens between kindergarten and 5th grade. Moreover, the
study determined that many teachers may mistake girls attentiveness in class and
completion of assignments as indicators that they understand the material, when in
fact they may not. To make sure that a child boy or girl really does understand
the material, teachers and parents should go over the material with the child, and if
necessary, give him or her some extra help as soon as possible.

6. Help your child shake off mistakes.

One of the best things you can do as you help your child develop maths skills and
learn other academic and life lessons is to assure him that mistakes are something
that will happen and that they are learning opportunities. If you can help your child
put maths mistakes into perspective and remind him that they are what will
ultimately help him learn, your child will be less likely to develop anxiety about
maths.

1.7 Why Teach Mathematics to Young Children?

Mathematics education for the 3-to 6-year-olds in your care cant be left to chance!
Mathematics cant be an activity here or an experience there. Its not about
counting, adding or subtracting, either. A childs logical mathematical intelligence
needs to be stimulated and developed so that he or she will be fluent, proficient and
comfortable in mathematics. To make sure that children get the mathematics they
will need, you have to know:
what you are doing why you are doing it, how youre going to do it
when you are going to do it

You will need to approach math more systematically In order to be successful, its
essential that you become confident and comfortable in your knowledge and use of.
Mathematics is part of a childs educational development and intellectual
well-being. Mathematics is a pillar of formal schooling and it is a
recognised part of a childs intellectual development and well being. This is
supported in the work in multiple intelligences done by Howard Gardner. The selfesteem of children suffers when their logical mathematical intelligence isnt
developed to its fullest potential and they become fluent in mathematics. Time and
attention must be spent on appropriately including mathematics in licensed and
registered childcare programs.

Mathawareness: Math is part of daily life. When we embrace a broad definition of

math we become aware of the many opportunities in our daily lives for learning and
teaching mathematical concepts. Children, however, are unaware that during play
and daily activities they often explore mathematical ideas and processes ("He has
more than I do!", "It won't fit cause it's too big."). Whether it is while cooking,
reading a book, shopping, cleaning up, buying new shoes, or setting up the table,
be aware of opportunities where you can effectively facilitate the 'mathematisation'
of children's experience by engaging them in thinking about related mathematical
ideas:

Creativity is latent within each of us, but for some of us, it needs to be awakened. In
creative teaching, assignment limitations provide a way to change the student's
habits of work. When a student isn't allowed to repeat a familiar pathway into the
work, additional creative effort is expended to succeed. So long as the difficulty
level is reasonable, new learning happens. A new approach is learne
process not product REALLY mean??? It means NOT having bulletin boards
covered with 24 identical penguins and you saying, But I let them glue the eyes
wherever they wanted. It means not making the kids do art It means having
H-U-G-E sheets of paper available It means seeing the possibility of painting with
things other than brushes It means no more dittos, patterns and cut out art It
means it doesnt have to look like anything It means being aware of the stages of
scribbling (samples on the next page!) as identified by Rhoda Kellogg It means not
making models or examples for the children It means you do not spend more time
preparing the project than the children will need to do the project It means not
drawing for the child and refraining from over commenting

Make lists and sketches

Creating art is a fine way for children to make choices and solve problems. Every
step involves making a decision: what color to use, how to make a line, what size to
make something. With every choice the object becomes more and more their own.
Everyone has an imagination. Art takes it a step further. Through art, children create
something that, until that point, was only imagined. Thus, they create visual
manifestations of abstract ideas. Children who may be having difficulties in other
parts of the school curriculum may find an expressive outlet through art. Its a way
to uncover talent that may not be seen otherwise. Art is a means of communicating
ideas, feelings, and solutions in a way other than verbally or written.

All of us are born with talents and abilities. Each of us has our strengths.
The most important thing to teach children before you can encourage them to
express themselves artistically is to think like an artist. The main thing that is
different between an artist and the average person is how they see the world.
Artists are trained to really open their eyes, and see what is all around them.
Exercise to Teach Children How to Think Like Artists This exercise will teach children
(and adults) how to think like artists. You can repeat it with new situations and
objects as often as necessary.
1. Take your child or group of children for a walk outside.

2. Have each child collect one item of interest. It can be a leaf, a rock, a stick,
anything that they find.
3. Bring them back to a table and give each of them a clean piece of paper and
pencil.
4. Have the children draw the item that they have found.
5. After they have finished, have them describe the drawing to you. They will see
more in the drawing then you will.
6. Once they have described the drawing, compare the drawing to the item, and
look for things that they have not represented in the drawing. For example, if it is a
leaf, look for the veins, bumps, and other individual aspects of the leaf that make it
unique.
7. Ask them to add the changes to the drawing. This exercise will teach them to see
and to describe what they are seeing
Encouraging Artistic Expression Once you have taught your child how to see things,
then you can encourage them to express themselves. One way to encourage artistic
expression is with journaling. A journal can be a cross between a diary, and a
sketchbook. Or you can create a journal with a certain them. The best way to
encourage a child to keep a journal is to set aside a specific time for them to record
their thoughts in the journal. A journal should be a special place to write down
thoughts, so it is best if you buy a separate book for your child to keep as their
journal. It doesn't have to be expensive. It can be a notebook or blank book.
Encouraging Children to Share
When you encourage artistic expression, you are encouraging your child to share
their passions, their beliefs, and their feelings. Art is all about emotion. Some people
emote all over the place. But even the shyest person can be taught to share their
feelings through writing, art, and music. The catch to this is that you as a parent
and teacher need to take the time to stop and listen to your children when they do
express themselves, and teach them how to express themselves constructively.
Encourage Your Children to Color Outside the Lines
Expressing themselves artistically makes them stronger people who know
themselves well. If this is the kind of person you want your child to be, then use the
methods that I have mentioned in this article to enourage their self expression.
How to teach children drawing?
Never make models for the children to copy. Give the children an area to work
at that is filled with the materials they need like: coloring markers, chalk,

crayons, glue, scissors, paper, masking tape, hole punch, envelopes and
sticky dots - - the loose parts of art!
Allow the easel to be available everyday all day. Bring the easel outside, put
it in the garage, on the driveway, out on the playground, on the grass, have
one inside too. Have huge sheets of paper and a few cups of paint. Have a
drying rack close by and resist the urge to write the childs name, date, age
and medium all over the paper. Remember that an easel does NOT have to be
from an educational store paper taped to a wall is an easel.
Children must be wearing PLAY CLOTHES! Clothes will get painty, messy,
sticky and dirty. This is OK! School is not a fashion show! You need to know
that teachers dont say to your children, Hey! Lets paint our belly buttons!
However, when children do do this (and they will), your child is better off with
a caring, loving, supportive teacher who facilitates the experience than with
someone whose first response is STOP THAT!

Social studies (friends role)

First, the emotions the affection, the excitement, the jealousy, the interest children
have in their friends. Children care about their friends, and they are often highly
motivated to stay friends, in spite of disagreements and tensions. They want to sort
out quarrels with their friends whereas with their siblings they often dont bother
or dont care (or even enjoy the power play, if they win). A friendship is often the
first relationship in which children begin to care about and try to understand
someone else, and to respond to the feelings, needs and troubles of another.

Challenges of teaching mt
In essence, the group set out to examine what we might know (or still need to
know) about the focus questions, where, how, who, when, what, and
why of young childrens mathematical engagement.
Where: the settings or contexts where pre-school children might think mathematically. For instance, when we speak of mathematics education of young children,
it 499 DG Discussion Group 17 seemed best not to restrict attention automatically
to young childrens activities and communication in formal settings such as preschool classrooms or day care centres. It also seems important to learn more about
young children cared for in less formal environments, including such non-school
settings as at home, or outside the home in museums, science centres, outdoor
activities in all situations where mathematical concepts can be an issue.
How: the ways in which pre-school children learn/engage with mathematics. For
instance, mathematical or mathematics-related thinking can emerge for young

children in everyday events (in play, through social interaction, informally,

embedded) where children and adults may reason mathematically, yet not
necessarily call such thinking mathematical. In the early years, play is central to
how children live in and understand their world. But how much do we know, or still
need to know about playful or informal mathematics? In particular, we might
enquire more systematically about the influence of people around the youngsters,
and about how such people can help children see mathematics in the world around
them. One aspect of learning is actually attending to something, for example by
drawing a childs attention to a potentially productive issue by a question or through
an aspect of structure in a game or activity, without directly teaching. How
important might this aspect be, and what might be its contribution?
Who: the important others (adults, siblings, peers or friends) with whom young
children interact. How might better understanding of significant adults (including
parents and a wide variety of caregivers and teachers) help us to support or assist
young children most effectively? It seems helpful to learn more, in detail, about
their mathematical education, knowledge and capacity, and about their
understanding of young childrens intellectual development. It may also help to
understand, through comparative studies, more clearly in what ways might mathematics educators access (or lack of access) to such adults affect the quality and
strength of pre-school childrens mathematical learning. Such research might clarify
to what extent we have the capacity (including needed understanding) to educate
adults more broadly, and suggest potential forms that such education might take.
For example, could information disseminated by health care centres (such as the
Swedish National Centre for Mathematics Education (NCM) project Mathematics
from the Beginning) be helpful?
When: The time frames or age ranges that delineate young childrens mathematics.
When we speak of mathematics education for pre-school children, are we implicitly
envisioning children who are 4 and 5 years old? Perhaps the answer varies across
countries. In some places there are pre-schools attached to schools, and in other
places not. If we include still younger children, including both non-verbal (birth
through one year or so) and early verbal years (through, say age three) it would
surely help to locate relevant special opportunities and challenges that might arise.
For example, how might the choice of stimulating games and focus of
communication help children prepare for later mathematical challenges before or in
school? Responses to such questions may not depend just on place, but also on the
different ways that programs for young children may be focused.
What: the nature of the mathematics in young childrens own emerging worlds. We
need to understand more clearly the nature of the mathematics (such as the
implicit vs. explicit presence of quantity and space in everyday activities) that
young children can introduce, work with, and explore in problem situations. In
particular, how might we best conceptualize the particular strengths we find in
younger childrens successful mathematical activity? It seems quite unlikely that

such mathematics (or perhaps emerging mathematics) will be limited simply to

counting or pre-number tasks, as we often see suggested in the media. Considering
the verbal and social skills of younger children (including potential opportunities, as
well as challenges, presented by linguistic and cultural diversity) we recognize a
need to understand more systematically the obstacles or opportunities that the
current emphasis on talk in mathematics pose for children in 501 DG Discussion
Group 17 this age group, and for adults who work with them, and to explore
alternative perspectives that may be more helpful for young learners and adults
who work with them.
Why: questions of motivation and engagement, both for young learners to engage
with mathematics deeply, and for important others to see such mathematical
engagement as important. Here we sensed a need to see more studies that seek, in
a variety of settings, to clarify what significant, highly motivated mathematical
activity by young children looks and feels like. What motivating factors (including
the design of tasks or situations with which young learners engage) can be shown to
support young childrens rich, extended mathematical activity or exploration? What
attitudes and beliefs do young children have about their mathematical learning, and
how do adults and older children who work and interact with them regard such
learning? In what ways do important others (whether age-mates, older children, or a
variety of adults) contribute (or perhaps not contribute) to young childrens growing
mathematical engagement? It could be equally important to address how some
adults and other children do not contribute to or do not stimulate young childrens
mathematical engagement.