This 3-hour workshop is designed to engage a range of early childhood educators to explore multiple domains of early math – operations, spatial relations, and measurement & data. The workshop draws upon a variety of resources available on the DREME TE site, including the classroom activity of counting collections, video of classrooms and children’s thinking, storybook reading, and teaching vignettes. Participants in attendance were teachers from Headstart and private preschools, mentor teachers, and a mentor coordinator. Overall feedback was positive, including comments such as: “I had no idea math applied to so many areas.”, “I can’t believe how much was covered in the three hour time.” and “It was helpful; so many new things I can use.”  Possible follow-ups to this workshop might entail a series of workshops diving into each content module more deeply.

Workshop Objective

1. Develop math learning opportunities that are intentional, developmentally appropriate, engaging, and playful.
2. Create math opportunities designed to support children in achieving their learning goals.
3. Create to use spontaneous opportunities that emerge through classroom or playground interactions as teachable math moments.

Learning Outcomes

1. Improve your comfortability with incorporating math concepts and ideas in your preschool classroom.
2. Learn to utilize the materials in your classroom to support and engage students in math learning.
3. Improve your effectiveness in teaching & individualizing math learning to improve your students’ success.

Schedule

(0:00-0:30) Housekeeping & Introductions
(0:30-1:15) Operations
(1:15-1:30) Break
(1:30-2:15) Spatial Relations
(2:15-2:45) Measurement & Data
(2:45-3:00) Evaluations, Closing & Wrap Up

Materials

• Handful of pennies (for opening activity)
• Archie & Caro Activity for Teacher Educators
• Archie & Caro Classroom Scenario (download from the bottom of this page) – one for each pair of participants
• Manipulatives for groups to count together (Counting Collections)
• Paper and markers/crayons to represent Counting Collections and for Describe, Draw, Describe
• Counting Collections Recording Sheet (download from the bottom of this page) – one for each pair of participants
• Problem types handout (download from the bottom of this page) – one for each participant
• Mathematics of Geometry and Spatial Relations – one for each participant
• Mathematics of Data – one for each pair of participants
• “To Calendar or Not to Calendar?” Vignette–  one for each participant