What does Maths learning look like in K1?

These K1 students are counting dots - matching a group of objects to the corresponding number symbol.

Children follow natural developmental progressions in learning. For example, children learn to crawl, then walk, run, skip and jump with increasing dexterity and speed. They also follow similar natural developmental progressions in learning to read and write.....and also in mathematics. Children learn mathematical concepts and skills in their own way. This is why it is very important that you do not compare your young child to other children the same age.

It is a myth that some children are "math smart". Most children, with few exceptions, have the potential to achieve high levels of mathematical understanding. It all comes down to exposure and "time on task" (practice)! It is important, however, that how and what they practice with is appropriate, uses hands-on manipulatives, and is focused on developing "number sense".

Children are drawn to what interests them, and this often leads to more "time on task" -- or more practice -- with skills and concepts that are connected to their preferred play. For example, a child that loves to play puzzles, lego and board games is going to show stronger mathematical understanding earlier than a child who chooses to spend their time drawing and writing.  A child that chooses to spend their time drawing and writing is going to show stronger earlier development in literacy. They show an aptitude because they have an interest, and this leads to natural "practice". As teachers and parents, our job is to ensure our children engage with a variety of play opportunities that develop a range of skills, interests and understandings.

One mistake that many adults make is "rushing" children through learning about number. There is the misguided belief that working with bigger numbers is equivalent to greater mathematical understanding. Deep understanding of number relationships, and flexibility in applying different strategies, is what makes a strong maths learner. In K1, we need to spend a lot of time developing an understanding of the 'anchor' numbers of 5 and 10. 

Young children need a lot of time and opportunity working with hands-on materials in order to develop mental visuals of what numbers look like, and the relationships between them. In K1, this is one reason why we do not focus on "paper and pencil" maths. Our job is to help children build an understanding of how those number symbols relate to actual objects -- numbers in real life.

Here is a fantastic video by Graham Fletcher that outlines how young children move through a trajectory of mathematical conceptual understandings: Subitizing, Comparison, Counting, One-to-One Correspondence, Cardinality, Hierarchical Inclusion, and Number Conservation. When we understand these developmental progressions better, we can do a better job of providing maths learning opportunities for young children that are both developmentally appropriate and effective.

We are excited to meet with you on Friday, December 10th and share more with you about how your child is developing as a K1 learner. Our Mid-Year Conference Notes will be released on CIMS next Friday, December 3rd. Please be sure to download these and bring your questions to the conference.

Yours in learning,

The K1 Team