September 17, 2013
Geometry and measurement are often difficult topics for young math students. Doug Clements argues that part of this problem stems from classroom materials that are inexact and misleading. "At its fundamental base, mathematics is about precision of reasoning and thinking."
Finland's educational system is regularly ranked among the best in the world. Surprisingly, Finnish children are not required to go to start attending school until they are seven years old. Kristiina Kumpulainen explains the specifics…
Yeap Ban Har explains the unique problem of kindergarten education in Singapore.
Lyn English explains an exploratory method of teaching math. "The children's learning was extended beyond the curriculum because they discovered a lot of the mathematical ideas themselves."
Joanne Mulligan questions the efficacy of new electronic educational devices.
In Singapore, kindergarten is not mandatory. Yeap Ban Har explains how first- and second-grade teachers in Singapore compensate for the inevitable gap in the math and reading skills of their students.
Doug Clements compares the mathematical competency of students from low- and high-income families in the United States and China. "Children from low-income backgrounds don't only enter school with far less mathematical knowledge, but that gap…
Liping Ma describes some differences between American and Chinese math educators, specifically concerning the idea of regrouping. "It's always easier for children to subtract three from ten than from thirteen."
Lyn English defines analogical reasoning and describes its importance and prevalence in early math classrooms.
Research out of John Hopkins University and Michigan State University suggests that a strong link exists between young learners' spatial reasoning and computation abilities.