Best Practices for Teaching Math Grades 1-3

When I taught Grade 2 Data Management with the Ontario 2005 math curriculum, the biggest challenge was mastering the Venn Diagram.  For many students, that was difficult enough, often taking up to two weeks before they were confident in their skill level.  The surveys, tally tables, line plots, bar graphs, and pictographs were based on organizing and displaying data according to one attribute which were demanding enough. Now, as I read through the new Ontario Curriculum 2020 for Data Literacy and Probability, I am struck by the degree of difficulty that the Grade 2 student is expected to understand.  The Venn Diagram is only a small part of it.  How are we expected to teach it?   Students are expected to use  two-way tally tables, Venn Diagrams, and Carroll diagrams for collecting and organizing data. Line plots, bar graphs, and pictographs display two attributes instead of one. Students have to ask survey questions with two attributes such as 1) wha...

I love talking about math. But my very favourite part of math is geometry .   Why?  It's hands-on learning, incorporates lots of centers and games, and all students can participate equally.  It is engaging for children and fun to teach! I was fortunate enough to be chosen to attend a week-long seminar in learning how to teach geometry put on by the Ontario Ministry of Education.  After an intense five-day training session, I was exhausted but newly in love with geometry.  Let me share some of the strategies I learned. Hands-on Learning We all know the benefits of hands-on learning for children.  It is natural, involves problem-solving and developing a deeper understanding of concepts, and allows children to create connections to the real world.  And, of course, it is fun!  Kids love anything they can touch and feel and geometry is very hands-on. Children will develop their spatial sense and knowledge of 2-D shapes and 3-D objects by manipulat...

Many teachers use music in their primary classrooms.  Does it have a place in math?  This blog looks at how I used music to improve student learning in my classroom. One of the research papers I wrote while earning my Specialist in Primary Math was about the link between music and math.  With a background in music, I wondered if incorporating it into my lessons could improve math learning.  I found out that it did! Using Music Improves Mood Music has long been recognized as a powerful tool for enhancing learning and memory retention. Research has shown that when we listen to music, our brains release dopamine, a chemical that is associated with pleasure and reward.  When children are happy, they are more likely to be engaged and learn new information.  As Henry Wadsworth Longfellow said, music is the universal language!          Enhances Memory                         ...

  Learning math in the primary grades should be an active experience that involves hands-on activities, exploration, and talking.  That is how young children learn.  While rules and procedures are part of effective classroom management, a compromise is needed between keeping a quiet classroom where students sit at their seats all day and developmentally appropriate active student learning.   That means it's going to be organized, engaging, and fun with "controlled noisiness", as I like to call it.  This blog post will discuss some ways to make your primary classroom an effective learning place.  Let's start with manipulatives. Math manipulatives are objects that students can manipulate to help them understand mathematical concepts. They are an effective teaching tool in primary classrooms because they engage students and help make abstract concepts more concrete.  Introduce manipulatives :  Begin by introducing the manipulatives that stu...