Abstract
This paper seeks to show that children in their first year at school can be guided towards a closer awareness of their own mathematical thinking so that ultimately the achievement of more elegant solutions to problems will become one of their goals. A more accepting, flexible and varied approach that centres on the conceptual state and psychological needs of the child is one that has been espoused by mathematics educators. The paper outlines some of the processes and problems involved in implementing such an approach by an experienced teacher in her classroom. It was found that by delicately exploring a child’s thought processes, it is possible to gain an illuminating view of the particular characteristics of each child’s conceptual world.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Barnes, D. (1975).From communication to curriculum. Harmondsworth: Penguin.
Boomer, G. (1986). From catechism to communication: Language, learning and mathematics.Australian Mathematics Teacher, 16(1), 2–7.
Britton, J. (1970).Language and learning. London: Penguin Press.
Del Campo, G., & Clements, M.A. (1990). Expanding the modes of communication in mathematics classrooms.Journal für Mathematik Didak Fik, 11(1), 45–79.
Del Campo, G., & Clements, M.A. (1987, July).Children hearing, watching, reading, writing, talking, drawing, imagining, acting out and practising mathematics Paper presented at the tenth annual conference of the Mathematics Education Research Group in Australasia, James Cook University, Townsville.
Donaldson, M. (1978).Children’s minds. Glasgow: William Collins Sons.
Ellerton, N. (1986). Children’s made-up problems — A new perspective on talented mathematicians.Educational Studies in Mathematics, 17, 261–271.
Gold, R. (1987).The description of cognitive development: Three Piagetian themes. Oxford: Clarendon Press.
Isaksen, S.G., & Parnes, S.J. (1985). Curriculum planning for creative thinking and problem solving.Journal for Creative Behaviour, 19(1), 1–29.
Labinowicz, E. (1985).Learning from children. Menlo Park: Addison-Wesley.
Steffe, L.P., & Cobb, P. (1988).Construction of arithmetical meanings and strategies. New York: Springer-Verlag.
Steffe, L.P., von Glasersfeld, E., Richards, J., & Cobb, P. (1983).Children’s counting types: Philosophy, theory and application. New York: Praeger.
Thomson, J.Understanding teenagers reading: Reading processes and the teaching of literature. North Ryde, N.S.W.: Methuen.
Vygotsky, L. (1962).Thought and language. Cambridge, Mass.: Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Wilkinson, A. (1971).The foundations of language: Talking and reading in young children. London: Oxford University Press.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Macmillan, A. Constructivism in a kindergarten mathematics class. Math Ed Res J 2, 12–27 (1990). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03217214
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03217214