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Babies are born with instincts that develop into the skills that are needed for walking, talking, counting, or measuring. These skills grow and mature throughout their Pre-K and early educational years. However, this only occurs when certain mathematical skills and thought processes have been nurtured from the beginning.
According to an article by Mary Hynes-Berry, published by the Erikson Institute Early Math Collaborative, the CAIR Principle (which stands for “Closely Attend and Intentionally Respond”) can help educators work with children in their classrooms.
“Closely Attending” to a child’s actions and non-verbal signals, such as pointing or facial expressions, means being aware of specific indicators that demonstrate their interests, fears, and concerns. “Intentionally Responding” refers to the idea that educators should use positive communication that “supports their natural curiosity and their developing ability to make sense of the world around them,” says Hynes-Berry.
Math should not be about memorizing shapes and drilling numbers into the heads of young children. Instead, it should help children become explorers and understand the many mathematical problem situations that are built into routines such as play. Thus, it is recommended that educators use strategies that are tailored to children and where they are in various phases of understanding. Hynes-Berry describes the phases of development:
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In the Emerging Phase (0-14 months) babies rely on caregivers’ words, gestures, and touch to help them begin to understand the meaning of sights, smells, sounds, etc. They are exposed to all of these elements in their immediate environments.
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In the Developing Phase (12-26 months) toddlers begin to have agency over small actions and use words to describe their thinking processes. However, they still rely on educators to help them explore and process quantities, size, and sequence.
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In the Transforming Phase (22-36 months) children are forming mental images and showing tremendous growth with their unique ideas.
It is important that educators remember to consider the child’s home environment and their cultural knowledge. A great way to have conversations with children about math is to read books. Hynes-Berry offers the example of a read-aloud with
Fuzzy Fuzzy by Sandra Boynton. She reiterates that “children’s natural interest in making sense of their world is all that is needed when you closely attend and intentionally respond in a nurturing way.”
Click here to learn more about the CAIR Principle.
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