Geometry, math and invention are languages
used to explore and manipulate, to theorize
and create, real objects in a real world. These
studies make much more sense and are
more interesting when they are presented with
manipulative materials, or related to real
problems and situations in a child's life.
In the Montessori elementary class
stories are told and experiments carried out
to show children how humans used their
imagination to solve problems and come
up with great inventions-the use of fire,
measuring the earth, compasses, boats,
and many others. They see how inventions,
geometry and math came about as the
result of progress, to meet specific needs.
We give manipulative materials in
all areas of math and leave it to
each child to decide when he is ready
to work without materials-in the abstract.
Children of this age love to reach back
into history with their imaginations and
reconstruct these needs and solutions
and the creation of systems of learning.
When children are given this solid,
material foundation, and see the
relationship of geometry and math to
the real world, it makes it easier for them,
in later years, to spend long periods of
time working on paper. This is because
they know that these steps are just
that-steps which will take them
to a new level of understanding in the
exciting world of math and science.
used to explore and manipulate, to theorize
and create, real objects in a real world. These
studies make much more sense and are
more interesting when they are presented with
manipulative materials, or related to real
problems and situations in a child's life.
In the Montessori elementary class
stories are told and experiments carried out
to show children how humans used their
imagination to solve problems and come
up with great inventions-the use of fire,
measuring the earth, compasses, boats,
and many others. They see how inventions,
geometry and math came about as the
result of progress, to meet specific needs.
We give manipulative materials in
all areas of math and leave it to
each child to decide when he is ready
to work without materials-in the abstract.
Children of this age love to reach back
into history with their imaginations and
reconstruct these needs and solutions
and the creation of systems of learning.
When children are given this solid,
material foundation, and see the
relationship of geometry and math to
the real world, it makes it easier for them,
in later years, to spend long periods of
time working on paper. This is because
they know that these steps are just
that-steps which will take them
to a new level of understanding in the
exciting world of math and science.
Pinegreenwoods Montessori
