Introducing Think! Mathematics Kindergarten Edition- Sold Only from 3R Think Mathematics
As a teacher, you play a crucial role in shaping young minds and laying the foundation for their future academic success. The Singapore approach to teaching mathematics has gained international recognition for its effectiveness, especially in early childhood education. Incorporating this approach in your kindergarten classroom can give your students a strong mathematical foundation through engaging and effective methods.
The Singapore approach begins with the Concrete-Pictorial-Abstract (CPA) progression, particularly suitable for young learners. This method aligns with children's natural developmental stages, making it easier for them to grasp mathematical concepts. Start with concrete objects, like blocks or beads, to teach counting and basic operations. This hands-on experience helps children tangibly understand math. Then, move on to pictorial representations, such as drawings or pictures, to bridge the gap between concrete experiences and abstract thinking. Finally, it introduces abstract symbols and numbers, helping students recognize and understand numerical relationships.
Another key aspect of the Singapore approach is incorporating play-based learning into your math lessons. Young children learn best through play; integrating mathematical concepts into fun activities can enhance their engagement and understanding. For example, a “treasure hunt” game can include counting steps, recognizing shapes, and solving simple puzzles. This not only makes learning enjoyable but also encourages critical thinking and problem-solving.
Visual representation tools, like bar modeling, can simplify complex problems and make them more accessible for young learners. Using colored bars to represent numbers in addition to subtraction problems helps children visualize and understand mathematical operations. For instance, combining a red bar with 3 units and a blue bar with 2 units to show a total of 5 units can make the concept of addition clear and intuitive.
Mastery learning is a fundamental principle of the Singapore approach. Ensure your students fully understand a concept before moving on to the next topic. Revisiting and reinforcing basic concepts through various activities until students demonstrate a solid grasp of the material is essential. For example, explore shapes by drawing, identifying them in the environment, and creating them with playdough to ensure children thoroughly understand what defines a circle or a square.
The spiral curriculum of the Singapore approach revisits topics periodically, each time at a more advanced level. This helps reinforce previous learning and connect new knowledge to existing understanding. Initially, teach children to recognize and count numbers up to 10. Later, they revisit counting with activities that involve grouping objects and simple addition and subtraction, gradually increasing the complexity to build on their prior knowledge.
Developing a strong number sense is crucial in kindergarten. The Singapore approach fosters this through engaging activities that promote an intuitive understanding of numbers and their relationships. Games like “number bingo” or “number matching” can help children recognize numbers, understand their order, and see relationships between them. Counting objects, comparing quantities, and playing simple addition and subtraction games build a solid numerical foundation.
The success of the Singapore approach relies heavily on well-trained teachers. Continuous professional development ensures you are equipped with the latest strategies and techniques to implement this methodology effectively. Training programs can help you create engaging, hands-on activities that align with the CPA progression and assess your students' understanding to provide targeted support.
Shing Lee Publishers Pte Ltd, a leading publisher of educational books, interactive books, and digital platforms, significantly promotes the Singapore approach. Founded in 1935, Shing Lee is dedicated to creating and publishing quality teaching and learning materials that meet global standards. Their flagship series, Think! Mathematics provides daily opportunities for students to build conceptual understanding, share problem-solving experiences, develop fluency, acquire mathematical language, and consolidate skills to achieve mastery. The Student Edition incorporates performance tasks that offer formative assessment opportunities, ensuring students understand mathematical concepts deeply.
By incorporating the Singapore approach into your kindergarten classroom, you can create a structured yet flexible learning environment that fosters deep understanding and enthusiasm for math. Through the CPA progression, play-based learning, visual representation, mastery learning, spiral curriculum, and a strong focus on number sense, you can help your young students develop a solid mathematical foundation. With well-trained teachers and the support of high-quality educational materials from Shing Lee Publishers, your students can experience math as a fun, engaging, and meaningful part of their daily lives, setting the stage for their future academic success. Contact Dr. Amy at amy@3rindustries.com to learn more and get your 45-day free think! Mathematics Digital Access.