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Mathematical Skills

Mathematical Mind is a logical mind and all humans operate on this system. Counting, adding, subtracting and deducting are common practices of life. Unfortunately, a basic concept of arithmetic is approached with such dearth that most children run from the subject. Maria Montessori spent most of her time in observation of children’s activities and behavior. She came up with a systematic and invincible approach to apply this natural skill into calculation and creating a method that sets strongest foundation in the subject of Mathematics. Montessori Pedagogy makes mathematics so simple that complicated functions of fractions become easily solvable by very young children.

Concrete to Abstract: Dr. Montessori created the material with a logical methodology to Mathematics. It’s easier to take three counters and count them in sequence of one, two, three than seeing a symbol 3 and trying making sense of the strange emblem. In a Montessori classroom a vast spread of exercise are established for the youngest children to handle actual counting objects long before seeing the symbols of numerals. Many sensorial and practical life exercises are carefully developed to make a common practice of just counting and nothing else. This becomes such a strong habit that when symbols are presented, the symbol doesn’t matter anymore. Only thing left to do is memorize the symbols.

Numerals: Sand paper number tracing is a fun exercise for students in our classroom. Many times just observing older companions is enough to remember and recognize the numerals. Placement of zero is emphasized not as it means ‘nothing’ but its important function of holding its place in a number. So, 102 mean zero is holding the place of tens.

Teens and Tens: are presented in actual bead count to clarify 15 means one ‘ten’ and five ‘units’.

Decimal System: is presented in actual quantities and then in written symbols. This way a child can quickly understand that ten ‘Tens’ make one ‘hundred’. And ten ‘hundreds’ will make one ‘thousand’.

Solving Equations in Basic mathematical functions: Addition, subtraction, multiplication and division problems are scaffold, conveniently solved, and regularly practiced. Basic four functions and reading equations become fun and cooperatively done in the form of bank game as children move more towards associative play from parallel play mode.

Primary level mathematics very swiftly turns into elementary level math in very young age. Understanding square root and performing basic four functions on fractions is commonly observed in children in a Montessori classroom at an early age. Practicing algebraic equation on a binomial cube is common practice in a primary classroom. And when the equation of (a+b)^2 is presented later, it only makes sense to a young mind.

This logical approach results in a strongest foundation for Mathematics and love for the subject.