7.4: Engaging Caregivers

Teachers can use the following strategies to help caregivers develop their children’s mathematical understanding:

• Communicate with caregivers
  • The broader aspects of developing number sense, for example, using counting in real-life situations, comparing numbers and discussing which is more or less, making estimations (e.g., How many grapes are in this bowl?), and solving simple addition and subtraction problems.
  • What classification and patterning are about, and how they contribute to children’s understanding of mathematics.
  • The importance of early measuring experiences and the types of measurement experiences they can do with children.
  • Mathematical reasoning is being able to think mathematically and explore different ways of solving problems.
• Remind caregivers that daily use of numbers (which are everywhere!) can become learning experiences for children.
• Provide number-related games and books that children can take home or that caregivers can make or purchase.
• Encourage caregivers to:
  • Involve children in everyday measurement experiences
  • Refer to shapes in the environment when talking with children
  • Use spatial words in everyday interactions with children
  • Recognize math in everyday events and interactions, and turn them into learning experiences[1]

Figure 7.14: Cooking and baking are excellent opportunities to explore math with children.[2]

References