Week 10 readings

Numeracy:

Clements, D.H. & Sarama, J. 2005, "MATH PLAY: How young children approach math", Scholastic Early Childhood Today, vol. 19, no. 4, pp. 50-57.

Literacy:

Hall, N. 1998, "Young Children as Storytellers", in R. Campbell (Eds.), Facilitating preschool literacy, Newark, Delaware: International Reading Association, pp. 84 - 99.

Why?

Exploring on the theme of the 'Technician' this week, I wanted to know more about how children act out these 'technician' abilities through literacy and numeracy. Both readings I chose were mostly child-centred and explained what the children could do, instead of only focusing on what the teacher could do.

Summary

The numeracy reading by Clements and Sarama (2005) discuss on the concept of 'mathematisation' and how play promotes the foundation for early mathematical skills. 

Mathematisation refers to how everyday experiences play the role of forming the foundation for a child's development in mathematics (Clements & Sarama 2005, p.52). Clements and Sarama (2005, pp.51-52) look at different mathematical concepts that emerge during free play such as:

- Classification

- Comparison of magnitude (size)

- Enumerating (the ability of recognising numbers, counting and using the appropriate number words)

- Construction and understanding parts and whole

- The discovery of patterns and shapes, as well as rhythm

- Exploring spatial awareness and relations 

- Measurements

The reading also provides a useful table on the skills and different types of play that emerge at different ages. For example, Clements and Sarama (2005, p. 53) state that a child at 15 months begins to engage with symbolic and pretend play such as drama and dress ups, and children from ages 2 - 3 years begin to engage in parallel play where the children become more aware of playing alongside each other instead of individually. Clements and Samara (2005, pp. 54 - 56) then illustrate how resources such as water and sand play, dough, computers and drama can be used in the classroom to promote mathematics. The section that interested me the most was the section on 'Mathematical Play' which is not to be confused with mathematics concepts that emerge from play, but actual intentional learning of mathematics through play. This section included an example of how children discussed the set up for tables and how many cups were needed for a table of ten if they each needed a cup for milk and a cup for juice (Clements & Samara 2005, pp. 56 - 57). This intentionally taught children about addition OR even multiplication. The article was concluded with Clement & Samara (2005, p. 57) emphasising that it is always the teacher's responsibility to build on observations in play to further develop a child's mathematic skills.

The literacy reading by Hall (1998, pp. 84 - 99) writes about we should allow children to be storytellers and how this creates a space for children to express themselves and provide room for literacy development. Hall begins his article by explaining how one of our biggest flaws is shutting children down when they want to speak or tell a story, perhaps because as adults, we may be annoyed or are pre-occupied. He then explains that young children's storytelling is far richer than what we, adults perceive. Children's storytelling actually hold different narrative perspectives, varying linguistic competence, and creativity and imagination. Some of the techniques that can be used to encourage children to be story tellers are listed by Hall (1998, pp. 87 - 90) are allowing children to self-record stories on a tape recorder or having an adult record those stories, and later writing them down to be compiled in a classroom storybook. Hall (1998, pp. 90 - 95 then proceeds to include three examples of children who engaged in storytelling and how the stories told were literacy rich, if only they were taken notice of. Hall includes a section (1998, pp.95 - 98) on sociodramatic play and how it is important to allow children to construct their own stories and dramas instead of forcing a specific script or story on children.

Implications

From both the readings above, it really hit me on the importance of allowing children to direct their own learning. Often times, as a pre-service teacher, I feel it is my responsibility to push lessons on children and push specific learning outcomes on children, but this takes away children's rights to their own learning. From both the readings, I have learnt that sometimes the best way to teach is just to allow children to do as they wish and construct their own learning. The best we can do as teachers is to introduce elements that will build on what children have constructed themselves or let children make the rules. An interesting quote I found in Hall's (1998, p. 86) is 'Many research studies reveal that in more formal storytelling sessions... adult rules dominate and what should be a vehicle for allowing children's voices to be heard actually acts as a mechanism for teaching children the rules of engagement in classroom behaviour' (Cazden 1988 cited in Hall 1998, p. 86). This really made me think about the times I've told children during group time that we can save their stories for another day because one specific child has talked too much or we have run out of time. This honestly made me feel like the worst teacher alive, and I now am going to make it an effort to allow children to tell their stories and direct their own learning as much as possible.