Next week I travel to Orlando for the annual NAEYC (National Association for the Education of Young Children) conference. My presentation is called “Mathematics is Storytelling: Bringing Play and a Sense of Narrative to Problem Solving,” and it is all about using storytelling to strengthen children’s understanding of problem solving. I thought I’d give you a sneak peek at a couple of pictures from the presentation.
This kindergartener explores counting collections and expands her ability to tell a mathematical story through Trick or Treating play.
Two kindergarteners solving a difficult problem type using an imaginative, familiar context, The Gingerbread Man.
Ahmed records his thinking for the problem, “The Gingerbread Man needs to cross 13 stones to get across the river. After hopping on the tenth stone he takes a rest. How many more stones does he need to hop across to get to the other side of the river?”
Ahmed records his strategy and says, “Ten stones and three more is thirteen. I just saw ten and three more!”
For those of you who will be in Orlando next week at the conference, please join me at my session on Saturday, November 5th from 1-2pm. For anyone else interested, I’ll be posting the presentation on my blog and tweeting from NAEYC sessions (@kassiaowedekind) as well!
“Trick or Treating Play” sounds wonderful for little ones.Tis the season!
I’m looking forward to reading about your presentation. Have a good trip.
@Mary–Yes, they love Trick or Treating play! And more than that, it’s an authentic context (people do count their Trick or Treat candy) and mathematically significant exploration.
I have your session on my itinerary and hope to make it! The newly formed Early Childhood Science Interest Forum will be holding its first meeting, open to all, on Friday, 11/4/2011, at 4:30 PM – 5:30 PM in Room W311A at the convention center and I’d love to have your input.
@Peggy–How great that you will be there too! Thanks for letting me know about the Science Interest Forum. I’ll put it on my itinerary,
Do the kids ever eat their “counting collections”? I would be tempted to pop one in my mouth.
@Jackie Good question! We talked a lot about not eating the candy corn (since it was touched by so many hands…) and they did amazingly well. They also knew that we’d use new candy corn to make cookies at the end of the week. After we solved the problem “There are 5 cookies. We will put 2 candy corn on each cookie. How many candy corn do we need for our cookies?” of course!
Kassia, I’ve read your Math Exchange with great interests, as I was looking for a book on Math Workshop. As you say/write, Math Exchange is an important component of Math Workshop. Can you kindly recommend any books that describe Math Workshop? Unlike Reading and Writing Workshops, I cannot find good books on Math Workshop. So, I need your help. I am an educator in Japan trying to introduce Math Workshop, as I have already introduced Reading and Writing Workshops to Japanese teachers. Thank you, in advance, for your advise.
Great question, Shin. There is much less written about math workshop than reading and writing workshop, but there are some sources. What grade(s) do you teach?
If you’re looking for more about math workshop structure and stations, check out Debbie Diller’s Math Work Stations
If you’re looking for tasks based on certain kinds of math in a workshop structure, take a look at Kathy Richardson’s Developing Number Concepts series
If you’re looking for more about problem solving and development of students as mathematicians, Fosnot and Dolk’s Young Mathematicians at Work is my favorite.
Hope this helps some
Happy to answer more questions about math workshop.
I just found your blog this morning. I am very excited to read about what you are doing with your students. I just started a blog about mathematics for young children and I am always looking for resources to share with my readers. I just added your blog to my site. I am here in Orlando too but unfortunately I leave early Saturday morning. I will look back at your blog to learn more about your presentation.
I’d love to chat with you elizabeth. I’ll be at the stenhouse booth at 1130 if you want to stop by