Number place values

Reflection 3

"To Thales the primary question was not what do we know, but how do we know it."

- Aristotle-

How does this apply to the preschoolers?

Bruner's CONCRETE-PICTORIAL-ABSTRACT approach is the basis for all Early Childhood educator. The notion of using concrete materials and giving concrete experiences is a long standing method of working with children.

To "teach" or present a concept to a child, we must first present a basis for the child. 

Before we can even introduce number placement, the child has to first and for all make meaning of the symbols that represents numbers. These representations will then have to have concrete representations that relates to their daily lives (perhaps that is why we use counters and the environment to help children make sense) and meaning of these symbols in their lives.

When these experiences are built on a strong number foundation, children will be able to make connections based on logical thinking, driven by their natural curiosity to question and find out about the world around them.

As an educator, we would have to be aware of the end goal and work backwards to see the gradual steps that each child have to tale before attaining these goals.