Chapter 7: Mathematics for the Younger Learner

     

      By the time a child starts grade primary he or she has already learned an astonishing amount of information. When thinking of the little ones starting school, I cannot help but wonder that they will soon be learning rote numbers. However, some children still have difficulty counting. They may skip over a number or leave some out entirely. As teachers we have great expectations for our young students. It is important that our children are not left out when we differentiate.

       For little ones in the pre-operational stage of thinking, four-to-five year-olds do not yet fully understand conversion – that something remains unchanged. Gradually from seven-to-eleven they began to have a greater grasp on learning Math. This stage is also known as the concrete operation stage of Piaget’s model.  As teachers we must be patient, and understanding with Elementary children.

      When further reflecting on this chapter, counting also caught my attention. Counting is complex for involving counting forward, backward, counting on, and skip counting. If a child misunderstands a counting concept, I can certainly envision that this would be a source of frustration.  Helping struggling students as early as possible is essential for their understanding and learning.

        Number representation was well demonstrated. There were many examples shown such as numerical, pictorial, 5-frame, 10-frame and others that are helpful for teachers.  These examples are a learning tool helping me to gain confidence grasping the Math that will one day be taught to my students.

        Overall, I found this chapter beneficial due to the array of information provided.