By Pam Woodbury

Math is all around us.  Clocks tell us the time of day, flower petals make patterns, candy is divided between friends, percentages are saved at the department stores, statistics are quoted to "prove" theories, and on and on and on.  So, math has to have meaning.  You need to be able to conceptualize before you memorize.  Little kids need to "know" what three means before they can understand the written "3".  It follows, then, that they need to know what three is before they can really understand that six is just two threes put together.  Not "33" but three blocks and three more blocks is six blocks.  All of this may sound very basic, but the point is that all of mathematics builds upon itself, and it all starts with very basic concepts.  Kids who miss the concepts early on or at any stage throughout the game will have trouble later on.

From the very beginning, our approach to math was one of developing thinking processes through use.  First of all, we worked with math in very practical ways like in the kitchen, doubling recipes, using the "wrong" sizes of measuring cups, etc.  Second, we discovered various mathematical concepts through play with toys such as shape sorters, pattern blocks, building blocks, Cuisenaire Rods, and Legos.  It is important for children to discover relationships on their own or through guided experiences, so that when they need to formally work with these relationships in the abstract they already feel comfortable with them.

Along with the need for conceptually understanding math is the need to recall the "basic facts" instantaneously.  This means drill and memorization.  Since math skills tend to be cumulative, rapid recall of lower level skills enables the student to master higher-level skills more quickly and easily with less frustration.

Besides having a math program in which the basics are taught, it is also important to have a "thinking skills" component to your math program.  Programs that teach problem-solving skills are usually considered extracurricular, but I maintain that they are essential.  Students need to be able to use their skills beyond the rote stage.  Otherwise they may not see the use of learning skills in the first place. 

Encourage using comparison words like big, bigger, more, less.  Encourage playing with shapes.  Encourage finding "math" all around us.  Encourage them to discover that two half cups of flour is the same as one whole cup, or four quarter cups or even three thirds. Encourage their love for math by making it a natural part of their lives from the very beginning.