According to the Piagetian developmental needs of the students,

children of the preschool age are generally in the preoperational stage. As

stated in the Applying Piagets Theory of Cognitive Development to

Mathematics Instruction (Ojose, 2008) article, While the child is working

with a problem, the teacher should elicit conversation from the child. The

verbalization of the child, as well as his actions on the materials, gives a

basis that permits the teacher to infer the mechanisms of the childs thought

process. He believes that by providing different materials, this helps the

teachers understanding of the childs thought capabilities.

Ways this is being met in the Little Gorilla preschool is by offering

hands on experience for the young children. This is with the different centers

like blocks, puzzles, sensory table, puppets, and even the art station. As a

student teacher, I was able to view children play with manipulates and make

use of effective questioning to deepen the childrens knowledge. As an

example, a child I was assigned to observe and assess in the preschool

enjoyed activities at the water table. By giving him objects like different

sized cups, sponges, and funnels, he was able to make inferences of basic

liquid concepts like liquid holds the shape of the container.

Based on my beginning understanding of teaching mathematics, I

would retain the use of manipulates in my future classroom. As an early

childhood teacher, I understand the importance of hands on activities with

children to help promote learning and building schemas. As the children will

most likely be in the preoperational stage of development, the use of

manipulates and instructional guidance can help lead children to a strong

conceptual understanding. All children need these experiences and use of

vocabulary to make sense of mathematical practice. When used with

instructional guidance, teachers can help the students build a foundation for

the 8 Standards for Mathematical Practice (Nelson, 2012) like making sense

of problems and persevere in solving them and model with mathematics.

B. Ojose. 2008. Applying Piaget's Theory of Cognitive Development to

Mathematics Instruction. Article.

Nelson, C. (2012). Standards for Mathematical Practice Introduction.

Retrieved September 14, 2016, from

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