Mathematics Learning in Early Childhood Paths Toward Excellence and Equity (2009) / Chapter Skim
Currently Skimming:
9 Conclusions and Recommendations
9 Conclusions and Recommendations
Pages 331-350
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From page 331... ...
In the course of normal development, young children develop key mathematical ideas and skills that include counting; adding and subtracting; finding which is more (or less) ; working with shapes by moving, combining, and comparing them to learn some of their properties; experiencing and labeling spatial terms (e.g., above, below)
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From page 332... ...
To ensure that all children enter elementary school with the mathematical foundation they need for success, the committee recommends a major national initiative in early childhood mathematics. The success of such an initiative requires that parents, early childhood teachers, policy makers, and communities reconceptualize the way they think about and understand young children's mathematics.
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From page 333... ...
These foundational, everyday mathematics experiences can be built on to move children further along in their understanding of mathematical concepts. Conclusion 2: Children learn mathematics, in part, through everyday experiences in the home and the larger environment beginning in the first year of life.
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From page 334... ...
These kinds of mathematics learning opportunities help children learn to mathematize or engage in processes that involve focusing on the mathematical aspects of an everyday situation, learn to represent and elaborate a model of the situation, and use that model to solve problems. Conclusion 3: Children need adult support and instruction to build and extend their early knowledge and learn to focus on and elaborate the mathematical aspects of everyday situations -- to mathematize.
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From page 335... ...
Thus, although children with very low and high mathematics knowledge and competence are found across all SES groups, those with low SES will need particular attention. Importantly, providing young children with high-quality mathematics instruction can help to ameliorate systematic inequities in educational outcomes and later career opportunities.
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From page 336... ...
is the primary goal of many early childhood programs; however, when given the opportunity, children are capable of demonstrating competence in more sophisticated mathematics activities related to whole number, operations, and relations. For example, cardinality -- knowing how many are in a set -- is a key part of children's number learning.
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From page 337... ...
THE EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION SYSTEM The early childhood education "delivery system," which educates and cares for children before kindergarten entry, has a great deal of diversity and is best characterized as a loosely sewn-together patchwork of different kinds of programs and providers that vary widely in the extent to which they articulate and act on their educational missions or are explicitly designed to provide education services. Program types range from friends and relatives who care for children in the home through informal arrangements, to large centers staffed by teachers offering a structured curriculum.
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From page 338... ...
The committee first examined the extent to which the content and learning experiences embodied in the teaching-learning paths are represented in current curricula and preschool classrooms. Next, the committee explored what is known about effective mathematics instruction for young children and what might need to be done to improve existing practice.
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From page 339... ...
Emerging evidence from a few studies of rigorous mathematics curricula show that children who experience focused mathematics activities in which mathematics teaching is the major goal have higher gains in mathematics and report enjoying mathematics more than those who do not. Furthermore, these studies indicate that a planned, sequenced curriculum can support young children's mathematical development in a sensitive and responsive manner.
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From page 340... ...
It should be noted that the committee does not endorse any specific model or curriculum; rather we hope to convey that the research-based principles described in this report should guide choices about development of early childhood mathematics curriculum and instruction. Conclusion 12: Effective early mathematics curricula use a variety of instructional approaches and incorporate intentional teaching.
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From page 341... ...
About 24 percent of early childhood workers are in center-based settings, 28 percent are in regulated home-based settings, and about 48 percent work in informal care arrangements outside both of these systems. Although the majority of early childhood professionals work in informal care settings, the majority of children are in center-based settings.
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From page 342... ...
An effort to provide professional development to teachers is one important component of successfully improving instruction, but sustainable change will also require collaboration from administrators, teachers, and parents. Conclusion 16: In-service education of teachers and other staff to support mathematics teaching and learning is essential to effective implementation of early childhood mathematics education.
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From page 343... ...
In addition, informal learning environments, such as libraries, museums, and community centers, have the potential to be resources that parents and caregivers can use to engage children in mathematics activities. Conclusion 19: Families can enhance the development of mathematical knowledge and skills as they set expectations and provide stimulating environments.
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From page 344... ...
Thus, the committee thinks it is critically important to begin an intensive national effort to enhance opportunities to learn mathematics in early childhood settings to ensure that all children enter school with the mathematical foundations they need for academic success. The research-based principles and mathematics teaching-learning paths described in this report can also reduce the disparity in educational outcomes between children from low-SES backgrounds and their higher SES peers.
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From page 345... ...
Early childhood learning goals, programs, curricula, and professional development will need to be informed by and adapted to the research-based teaching-learning paths laid out in this report. The committee therefore recommends: Recommendation 3: All early childhood programs should provide high-quality mathematics curricula and instruction as described in this report.
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From page 346... ...
This means that implementation of our recommendations by programs serving economically disadvantaged children, such as Head Start and publicly funded early childhood programs, is particularly urgent. To make the recommended changes, early childhood programs will need explicit policy directives to do so.
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From page 347... ...
Professional development should also focus on teachers' beliefs about children's mathematics, the activities and resources in the classroom that can promote children's mathematical development, and their knowledge of curriculum-linked assessment practices. All of these important areas should be included in professional development delivered by a highly qualified teacher educator.
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From page 348... ...
FUTURE RESEARCH In its work, the committee conducted a comprehensive review of the existing evidence related to mathematics development and learning in early childhood. As noted, we have determined that the evidence base is robust enough to guide a major national initiative in early mathematics.
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From page 349... ...
To achieve these goals, the committee recommends that curriculum research and development move through phases: from early reviews of relevant research to the creation of learning materials to help children along the teaching-learning paths in this report, to cycles of baseline evaluation, and finally to confirmatory evaluation using rigorous designs, with all phases integrating quantitative and qualitative methodologies. Research of this type will help ensure that early childhood programs can make informed, evidence-based choices among curricula.
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From page 350... ...
Such research can help identify children at risk for learning difficulties or disabilities in mathematics during the preschool years, develop targeted interventions for such children, and test their effectiveness.
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