Growing Mathematical Minds

Conversations Between Developmental Psychologists and Early Childhood Teachers

Jennifer S. McCray, Jie-Qi Chen, Janet Eisenband Sorkin

• Publisher: Routledge
• Year: 2018
• Print ISBN:
  9781138182370
• eBook ISBN:
  9781317295174
• Topic: Education
• Subtopic: Early Childhood Education

Growing Mathematical Minds is the documentation of an innovative, bi-directional process of connecting research and practice in early childhood mathematics. The book translates research on early mathematics from developmental psychology into terms that are meaningful to teachers and readily applicable in early childhood classrooms. It documents teacher responses, and conveys their thoughts and questions back to representative researchers, who reply in turn. In so doing, this highly useful book creates a conversation, in which researchers and teachers each bring their expertise to bear; their communication about these topics—informed by the thinking, commitment, and experience of both groups—helps us better understand how developmental psychology can improve math teaching, and how math teaching can, in turn, inform developmental science. The book bridges the gap between research and practice, helping teachers to adopt evidence-based practices and apply cutting-edge research findings, and prompting developmental researchers to consider their work within the framework of practice. Growing Mathematical Minds identifies and elucidates research with profound implications for teaching children from three to eight years so they develop foundational math knowledge and skills, positive attitudes toward math, and basic abilities to think mathematically.

Table of contents

• Cover
• Title
• Copyright
• Contents
• Acknowledgements
• Introduction: Bridging the Gap Between Research and Practice in Early Mathematics
• 1 Mathematical Language and Early Math Learning
• 2 The Role of Adult and Environmental Input in Children’s Math Learning
• 3 The Use of Concrete Objects in Early Mathematical Learning
• 4 The Role of Gesture in Teaching and Learning Math
• 5 Variability in Children’s Mathematical Thinking and Learning
• 6 Pathways to Basic Combination Fluency in the Primary Grades
• 7 Math Anxiety and Math Performance: How Do They Relate?
• Conclusion: What Have We Learned?
• Index