Being cognizant of diverse cultures and how they explore early mathematics is a consideration adults should always keep in mind. From the books they read to the topics discussed, culture is an opportunity to open up math thinking or further complicate it for many children.
August 28, 2019
Cumulative tales and rhymes illustrate growing patterns, typically an increase or decrease by one on each page. As the growing pattern is revealed through the story, children get excited because they can figure out "what comes next."
The role of play and importance of shared experiences in early math is discussed with Rodrigo Gutiérrez, Co-Director of the Center for Retention-Recruitment for Math Teachers at University of Arizona.
In Count Me In! by Cynthia Weill we follow a procession of Mexican folk culture while exploring counting and math concepts.
This delightful book emphasizes several Big Ideas in geometry, as well it provides an opportunity to explore diverse cultures and people.
Sylvia Celadón-Pattichis advocates storytelling as a means to vary the context of word problems to make them more relevant and accessible to young, dual-language learners.
Phil Daro compares and contrasts the answer-getting learning style of the United States with the collaborative learning style of Japan.