EDU 677 - Student-Centered Early Childhood Math (3)

This course focuses on the progressive learning trajectories young children travel through as they learn foundational early number sense. Educators will learn how to help children developmentally move through CRA (concrete-representation-abstract) thinking and reasoning, meaningful ways to use a variety of manipulatives (Ten-frames, Two-sided Counters, Cuisenaire Rods, Pattern Blocks, Hundred chart, Base-ten Blocks, etc.) to support the young mathematician’s math understanding, and how to make math meaningful and relevant to students’ lives through the use of children’s literature, real-life events, real-life tools, and connections to other subject areas. With knowledge of how children progress through Pre-K- primary grades math trajectories, educators will learn how to differentiate to meet the needs of the varying levels of knowledge and thinking of their students, leading to proficiency. Educators will expand their knowledge of the NE Standards/Common Core Standards; develop the art of questioning, prompting, and probing to get to the depth of student understanding; and learn how to develop math communities of self-regulated young mathematicians.