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Gemma Paterson, lead early years pedagogue, describes some challenges and opportunities for early years practitioners, and some of the approaches taken by practitioners in Falkirk.
Gemma Paterson, lead early years pedagogue, describes some challenges and opportunities for early years practitioners, and some of the approaches taken by practitioners in Falkirk.
Falkirk Wonderisers - embracing numeracy and mathematics in the early years
Falkirk Wonderisers - embracing numeracy and mathematics in the early years
Gemma Paterson
Falkirk Council
Twitter: @GPaterson_EY
November 2020
Early years practitioners across Scotland, I am sure, are able to adapt to the ever changing nature that is our profession. We are able to listen 10 different children at once and give them each a relevant answer. We continue to break barriers and strive towards providing the very best start for our wee people. However mention numeracy and mathematics and 9 times out of 10 you’re sure to find mild hysteria setting in as practitioners slowly back away from the person who uttered such a term! Since joining the profession 14 years ago, numeracy and mathematics has always been the most challenging area for practitioners in developing. It’s mostly to do with a fear of mathematics and numeracy, as people relate their own experiences to that of their ability to provide excellent mathematics and numeracy opportunities for children. However what our fabulous practitioners don’t understand is that simply, mathematics and numeracy is everywhere and we provide these experience on a daily basis without even realising it.
In Falkirk we have a few approaches to numeracy and mathematics in early years. We focus on the natural aspect of this and the way this occurs and develops through meaningful play experiences. In Falkirk we prefer to think about children’s development as being holistic. Munn’s (1997) research enables us to look at how children develop a variety of skills within numeracy and mathematics. We know that learning happens from watching and experiencing numeracy in action in everyday life and from engaging in play and exploration.
So, how does this look in practice?
From creating visual masterpieces using blocks- exploring symmetry and concepts of shape and size...
To exploring measure, weight and mathematic properties through #MarvellousMealtimesFC
To creating naturally creative and curious environments which spark the wonderful thoughts of our wee wonderisers, numeracy really is everywhere. #FalkirkWonderisers
Equity and Excellence Leads
In Falkirk our equity and excellence leads are named Early Years Pedagogues. As part of their role, practice based projects are carried out within their settings. We use an evidenced based approach to impact on the poverty related attainment gap.
This year our pedagogues are using Cuisenaire Rods to explore natural numeracy concepts through play. We are currently carrying out structured observations to establish how children use the Cuisenaire rods and to establish which numerical concepts are currently being developed.
#FalkirkSTEMpire
We have seen an increased focus on STEM in early years this last while and it has an important place in exploring the holistic aspect of development. A number of these posters have been created to evidence how STEM lends itself across the curriculum and just how much numeracy and mathematics is in everyday experiences.
Keep in touch with the #fabfalkirkfolk and follow some of our twitter channels and hasthags:
· Falkirk Early Years Pedagogues @FalkirkEYP
· Falkirk Froebel @FalkirkFroebel
· #FalkirkSTEMpire
· #FalkirkWonderisers
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