In this active, hands-on session, participants will learn playful and impactful ways to support young children’s understanding of spatial relationships, patterns, measurement, quantities, and everyday math vocabulary. These mathematical areas are often given less emphasis in early childhood programs, yet, according to a burgeoning body of research, preschool skills in these areas are highly predictive of later school success.
During the session, participants will:
• Become familiar with several interdisciplinary math activities for young children in these critical math areas;
• Deepen understanding of children’s mathematical development in these areas;
• Learn and practice ways to talk with children about math so as to engage them in exploring, noticing, showing, and explaining, and to ensure that they develop comfort and confidence in math;
• Learn and practice ways to read aloud storybooks while emphasizing math concepts;
• Understand how these activities set children on the trajectory of the MA Curriculum Framework for Mathematics for PK.
The session draws on methods and materials from a research-based English/Spanish math program developed collaboratively by YMCA Early Learning Readiness (in MA, CA, and NJ) and TERC, a STEM education non-profit in Cambridge, MA. External evaluation demonstrates that this program succeeds in deepening mathematical impact of community-based preschool programs, including engaging children in mathematical thinking and reasoning and supporting educators and caregivers who are initially uncomfortable with math.
This session is intended for early childhood educators and for pre- and in-service early childhood educators. Participants who are parents or grandparents of young children are also welcome.