Phase 6 : Mathematics in Montessori

This phase explores a child’s introduction to the world of Math- the merging of the

abstract with the concrete with the use of apparatus that not only manipulates the

senses but also builds the various concepts like less and more and odds and even

among others.

Introduction of mathematics is when the child is 3yrs of age. But when the child

comes to the Montessori environment the child already knows how to count up to

certain numbers. In our practical life at home adults may instruct the child to bring 3

more plates or glasses. So the child when he comes is accustomed to numbers in the

quantitative sense but does not know the written

symbols. The child in the Montessori environment

is surrounded by numbers, sizes, quantities, dates

etc. from the age of 2 ½ yrs of age. The child is not

intellectually aware of the numbers at this age but

is sensitive to quantitative aspect of numbers. The

number system is very vital. It is a single logically

constructed structure having many complicated as

well as interrelated parts. A child has to be taught

the n umber system to be able to further the child’s knowledge and development.

This is done in our method by the use of different apparatus, materials, aids and etc.

so that the child learns numbers through active experience and thereby the subject

becomes meaningful to the child.

In the olden days children learnt through the rote memory. Numbers 1 to 10 are

important as they are repeated again and again in different names. The child learns

the quantity. The work of the adult is to let the child actively participate in

understanding the number so that the child gets a positive attitude towards the

subject.

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Montessori Math cannot be taught only by mathematic materials. Sensorial training

is of great importance in learning the basics of mathematics. Also in practical life, the

development of order, concentration, coordination and independence are important

for mathematical mind. Order is the basic foundation of math because it is not

possible without sequence. Coordination is also important for mathematics for math

to develop logical thinking. Children need to do activities that develop the hand eye

coordination.

DEFINITION OF MATHEMATICS.

 It is the world of numbers.

 Measuring levels.

 Deals with exactness.

 Science of numbers.

 It shows the relationship between non-entity and entity at a quantitative level.

 Math is abstract or has an abstract meaning.

 Systematic number system.

AIMS.

 The subject mathematics has to be introduced to the child in a meaningful

way as an attractive and interesting subject so that the child can develop

positive attitude.

 Builds the child’s appreciation towards the subject and also the creative

aspect of the subject. The different working method helps in later solving

problems.

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 It teaches the child various mathematic skills and knowledge, reasoning and

the four operations.

 Enables the child to acquire the mathematical

language and the use of math , beyond the

classroom. This is true in giving the education of

math when the child realizes that it is not

restricted within the classroom but also

applicable to the world outside and also used as

a social utility in business.

 Finally the aim of introducing math is to enable

the child to think clearly and logically with

confidence, independence and flexibility of the mind which leads to mental

discipline as it trains the mind.

Mental discipline is vital because it trains the mind and in the run the child

acquires logical thinking and also acquires reasoning power. The child in the

Montessori environment at 3yrs is sensitive to quantities and is therefore going

through the sensitive period. This is done through the mathematical experiences,

concepts and processes.

Math is abstract and the child has to be prepared for the abstract math. First of all

the child has to be introduced to the numbers in a concrete form, that is,

introduce the quantity of 3 then the abstract name of three. The environment is

structured as a practical preparation to create interest. The number system is

sequential in nature so the child has to be taught sequential aspects of math that

is sequence in numbers, sequence in math topic and sequential in placement of

numbers. Even the four operational areas in the olden days were learnt through

the rote memory. But now the child also learns other concepts like volume,

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weight, seriation, length, units, conservation and reversibility, geometry,

topology.

PRE-MATHEMATICAL CONCEPTS.

The child is introduced to important mathematical concepts like sorting ,

classifying, one to one correspondence, comparing , sequencing , putting things

in order, the concept of more and less, number rhymes and stories relating to

numbers.

PRELIMINARY ACTIVITIES.

Some of the preliminary activities which can be done to introduce the child to

numbers:

 Measuring the head. As most of the Montessori environment have vertical

grouping there will be difference in the measurement of the head.

 Measuring the feet. The adult will invite a few children and on a paper

their feet will be drawn and then measured with a string. The children will

be asked which string is the longest.

 The adult can take the children where the Pink Tower is kept and can

measure the height with the help of a measuring tape.

 Adult brings a chowki and some coasters. The adult invites a child and

will ask the child to cover the chowki with coasters. After doing that the

adult will ask the child count how many coasters were used to cover the

chowki. Can be done with table mats too.

 The adult will bring a long rod to measure the room from wall to wall.

Similarly with the long rod a table or a mat can be measured.

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  Adult brings in play dough and shows them the different shapes that can

be done with it.

 Before starting with the Montessori Apparatus the child should be given

the concept of heavy and light. This can be done by inviting a child and

asking him to pick up a chowki and then a small mat. The adult will then

ask the child which is heavy and which is light.

 The concept of more and less is given to the child before the child starts

Mathematics. The adult will invite two children and give the first child

few counters and to the other child some more. The adult will ask the

child to say who has more. Can be done with coasters.

 Instead of a long rod, the length of a room can be measured with the stride

and the measurement of a table or a chowki can be done with the span of

the palm or by cubits.

 The adult can bring in a bowl of and show the children the level and later

puts in some stones and then shows them how the level of water has

changed.

 The concept of long and short can be given by asking them to show the

long and short in the environment. Similarly the heavy and light the

children can show from the environment.

SANDPAPER NUMERALS PRESENTATION.

Name of Activity: Sandpaper numerals.

Material Description: A box containing masonite board

with sandpaper symbols on it and is blue in color and

contains numbers from 1 to 9. A mat and a chowki. The

sandpaper symbols come on a tray.

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Material Display: The box is kept on the arithmetic shelf. The mat and the chowki

kept in the environment.

Nature of Activity: Individual.

Age: 3yrs the child should have done Touch Board 1.

Presentation:

 Maintain work cycle.

 Adult invites the child and shows the child where the material is kept.

 Adult brings the first board on a tray.

 Both adult and the child must dip fingers in tepid water for tracing.

 Adult places one on the chowki and the red line must be closer to self.

 Adult gives instruction to the child to trace lightly and say the name while

tracing.

 Adult traces and say the name of the numeral.

 The child does the same.

 In the second stage the adult gives different instructions to the child. The

child traces the number and follows the instructions.

 In the third stage the adult will ask the child to trace and say the name of the

numeral.

 Work cycle completed.

One name to be given to the child at a time. But if the child is ready to take another

name adult should give.

Points of Interest:

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  To trace lightly.

 To say the name while tracing.

 The red line towards self.

Control of Error: Lies in the material the red line towards self.

Direct Aims: The child is introduced to correct symbol with the corresponding

names.

Indirect Aims:

 Preparation for writing.

 Hand eye coordination

Zero is introduced to the child after spindle box presentation is given. To make the

child understand 0 in a concretized manner and instruction to stop where started

from.

NUMBER RODS.

Name of Activity: Number Rods.

Material Display: There are 10 number rods altogether similar to the Long Rods.

Each rod is alternately colored and demarcated with red and blue. They represent a

unit each. A mat .

Material Display: The rods are kept on the arithmetic shelf. The mat kept in the

environment.

Nature of Activity: Individual.

Age: 3yrs. The child should have worked with the Long Rods.

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Presentation:

 Work cycle maintained.

 The adult invites the child and enquires whether he knows Long Rods. The

adult shows where the math shelf is and introduces the child to the shelf.

 Adult brings the first two rods that is the rod of one and two.

 The adult will take the small rod and count and says” this is rod of one”. The

child repeats.

 The adult will take the second rod and in the same manner will count and

will say “this is rod of two”.

 In the second stage the adult tells the child to count and gives the child

various instructions. The child counts and follows the instructions.

 In the third stage the adult asks the child will point at any rod ask the child to

count and say which rod that is.

 Work cycle completed.

Points of Interest:

 Counting and associating the names clearly.

 Red wall is formed on the left side.

 Three period lesson.

Control of Error: lies in the material that is a pattern emerges and in counting the

rods.

Language: Mathematical names.

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Direct Aims: child is associating quantity with traditional names in a concrete

manner.

Indirect Aims:

 Exploring into the world of mathematics.

 Better understanding of abstract quantity.

 Understanding seriation.

 Language development.

 Co ordination of movements.

 Concentration.

Each time two rods will be introduced to the child.

NUMBER RODS AND CARDS

Name of Activity: Number rods and cards.

Material Description: There are 10 number rods and a wooden box containing 10

white masonite cards with numbers one to ten written in black. The box has a lid. A

mat.

Material Display: The box and the number rods are kept on the arithmetic shelf.

The mat kept in the environment.

Nature of Activity: Individual.

Age: 3yrs onwards.

Presentation:

 Work cycle maintained.

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  Adult invites a child ask the child to bring the number rods.

 Adult will bring the number cards on a tray.

 The adult will isolate any number card at random and ask the child to

identify the number and find the corresponding rod by counting.

 Child identifies the card and isolates the rod and places the card against that

particular rod.

 In this manner it is done till 9 and then the adult will ask the child to isolate

the rod of 10.

 The adult will show the child the card of 10 and say “this is how 10 is

written”.

 The adult will ask the child to place the rods in seriation only after counting

the rods and saying the number on the card.

 Work checked by both adult and child.

 Work cycle completed.

Point of Interest:

 Adult isolates cards at random and the child identifies and isolates the rod

and places it to the corresponding rod.

 Child is asked to isolates the rod of 10 and then only card of 10 is shown to

the child.

Control of Error: Lies in the material that is the cards are corresponding to the

number rods.

Direct Aims:

 The child is associating the quantity with the names and the written symbols.

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  The child is also introduced to the written symbol of 10.

Indirect Aims:

 Moving further in understanding the number system.

 Understanding the abstract of written symbols.

 Further preparation for decimal system and addition.

 Language development.

SPINDLE BOX

Name of Activity: Spindle box.

Material Description: There are

two wooden trays divided into

compartments with 0 – 9 written

on the walls of the compartment

in black. There are 45 spindles in

all. They look like pencils and are

of neutral color placed in the

compartment corresponding to

the numbers written there. A

mat.

Material Display: The two trays are kept on the mathematics shelf. The mat kept in

the environment.

Nature of Activity: Individual.

Age: 3yrs to 3 ½ yrs.

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Presentation:

 Work cycle maintained.

 Adult invites the child and shows where the material is kept.

 Adult brings the first tray and places it on the mat.

 Adult introduces the child to the spindles and also shows the child how to

hold the spindles.

 The adult takes out the spindles one by one and keeps the spindles on the mat

in a straight line.

 The adult will ask the child to identify the written symbols on each

compartment.

 For the first compartment the adult will say” this is 0 and has no quantity

and so it has no spindles”.

 After identifying the written numbers the adult tells the child to count with

the adult while putting back the spindles in their corresponding

compartment.

 Adult will ask the child to check and will tell the child to do the activity.

 Both adult and child checks.

 Work cycle completed.

When the child becomes mechanical with the first box the second box is given to the

child.

Points of Interest:

 Introduce the spindles to the child and to show how to hold the spindles with

the writing fingers.

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  Zero for the first time is introduced to the child by giving appropriate

concept.

 The child identifies the written number and counts the spindles and placing

in the respective compartments.

Control of Error: Lies in the material that is the child identifies the numbers and

counts the spindles.

Language: Mathematical terms.

Direct Aims:

 Child is introduced to the concept of 0 in a concrete manner.

 Child is associating loose quantity with the written symbols for the first time.

Indirect Aims:

 Indirect preparation for addition.

 Further development of mathematics.

 Language development.

 Hand and mind co-ordination develop.

 Fine motor movements.

CARDS AND COUNTERS.

Name of Activity: Cards and counters.

Material Description: There are small cards 1 – 10 which are white in color and the

numbers written on them are in black and these are kept in a wooden box. The total

numbers of counters are 55. A mat.

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Material Display: The box containing the cards and counters are kept on the

mathematic shelf. The mat kept in the environment.

Nature of Activity: Individual.

Age: 3yrs to 3 ½ yrs

Presentation:

 Work cycle maintained.

 Adult invites the child and shows where the material is kept

 Adult brings the box and keeps it on the mat.

 Adult asks the child to place the cards in a row at the edge of the mat in

seriation.

 Adult tells the child to count the counters when placing them underneath the

cards.

 Adult places the counters from 1 – 4 till a pattern takes place after which the

adult can ask the child to take over.

 The child will recognize the number and place the counters underneath the

corresponding number.

 Both adult and child will check the work.

 Work cycle completed.

Points of Interest:

 Arranging cards in order.

 Counting the counters and placing them to the corresponding cards.

Control of Error: Lies in the material and the number cards.

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Language: Mathematical terms.

Direct Aims: Child is associating written symbols in loose cards with loose

quantity.

Indirect Aims:

 Preparation for mathematics.

 Reinforcement of decimal system

 Language development.

When the child has done cards and counters, adult introduces the concept of odds

and even.

ODDS AND EVENS.

Name of Activity: Odds and evens.

Material Description: There are small cards white in color from 1- 10 written in

black and are kept in a wooden box. The total number of counters are 55. A mat and

a pointer.

Material Display: The box containing the cards and counters are kept on the

mathematics shelf. The mat and the pointer kept in the environment.

Nature of Activity: Individual.

Age : 3yrs – 3 ½ yrs.

Presentation:

 Work cycle maintained.

 Adult invites the child. The child can bring the box containing cards and

counters.

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  Child arranges the cards and counter in a proper manner.

 Adult puts the pointer in the rows of pattern.

 Adult explains that as there is no friend for the counter therefore it is oddly

placed. So 1 is an odd number.

 Similarly the pointer is placed in the next number and the adult says “This

has a friend, so it is evenly placed. So 2 is and even number.”

 In this manner all the numbers till 5 will be shown by the adult, after that the

child can take over.

 Both adult and child checks.

 Work cycle completed.

Points of Interest:

 Placement of counters in a particular way.

 Placement of pointer in between the counters.

Control of Error: Lies in the pattern and placement of the counters.

Language: Mathematical terms.

Direct Aims: Child is introduced to odds and evens which are the characteristics of

number.

Indirect Aims:

 Preparation for math.

 Re enforcement of decimal system.

 Language development.

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