The Mom I Want to Be

 

Children develop mathematical skills and discover mathematical relationships as they play with many different kinds of materials and have conversations about what they are doing. At preschool, look at what is in each interest area for children to use and listen to what they talk about with one another and with teachers.

 

The Environment
Here are some examples of what you might see in different interest areas:

 

• Block area: Blocks organized by shape on the shelves, with labels for each shape and for props.

• House corner: Dress-up clothes, props, pots and pans, and cooking utensils on shelves or hung with picture labels, so children can sort and put things away systematically; sufficient forks, knives, spoons, and plates for setting the table.

• Table toys: Games, manipulatives, puzzles, and collectibles that children can use to count, sort, build, or otherwise organize at a table or on the floor.

• Cooking activities: Measuring spoons, cups, and bowls to use in preparing food.

• Library: Books about numbers and shapes.

• Art area: Materials to make designs with different shapes, colors, and objects.

• Sand and water tables: Different-sized containers and measuring tools.

• Computers: Software that stimulates children to explore making shapes of different sizes, create designs, and repeat designs made first with real materials (mirroring).

 

In addition to what you see in interest areas, many daily classroom activities can have a math focus. You might notice children using mathematical thinking in these ways:

 

• Taking the attendance for the day.

• Figuring out how many cups, spoons, or napkins are needed at snack time.

• Matching shapes as they put objects away, or grouping like things together during clean-up.

• Taking a survey of favorite lunch foods and making a graph to compare the results.

• Noticing shapes and patterns on a walk.

 

The Teachers

Listen for mathematical conversations in your child’s classroom. Are teachers seizing opportunities to engage preschoolers in mathematical thinking as they play? For example, do they:

 

• Ask children to think about their constructions: “Which is taller, shorter, longer…? What shapes do you see? Which is first, second, third, last?”

• Help children notice designs: “I see you’ve used red and blue cubes. How do you know which comes next?”

• Encourage logical thinking skills: “How did you decide to put these objects together? What are some ways they are alike? Where should this one go?”

 

What You Should Not See

 

• Children working on pencil and paper activities such as coloring a worksheet or completing a page of math facts.

• Children drilling with flash cards or reciting number facts.

• A lack of attention to categorizing supplies.

 

Questions to Ask

 

• What kinds of materials do children use to sort and build?

• In what ways do you help children to explore patterns?

• How and when do children make estimates?

• What are some favorite books that emphasize mathematical thinking?

• How do you keep track of each child’s development of mathematical skills?

• What do you suggest parents do at home?