Children\'s Mathematics

including ‘paying money in to bank’ or ‘filling the petrol tank of the car.’ A high pro-

portion of comments related to social and community activities such as ‘adding

snooker scores’ and ‘changing the hymn numbers at church.’ Finally, from their

replies it was clear that some children saw their parents engaged in mathematics

related to their work, including ‘doing the accounts’ and ‘writing number of hours I

worked each day, on timesheet.’

This shows something of the considerable range of mathematical literacy events in

children’s homes which includes written aspects of mathematics and which may often

not be recognised by parents. Hill et al. argue that in fact there is a considerable range

of literacy learning in children’s homes before they enter Early Years settings and that

early childhood professionals need to understand and build on this (Hill et al., 1998).

Parents observe a wealth of mathematics

In two shorter studies we explored children’s mathematical interests with parents.

The first was with a group of parents of the class of 4–6-year-olds and the second

with a class of 7- and 8-year-olds: we were both their class teachers at the time. Both

studies followed meetings in which we had shared information about their chil-

dren’s schemas. One parent of a 5-year-old chose to keep a diary and noted:

In my class of 7- and 8-year-olds, I asked the parents to keep a diary of their chil-

dren’s interests over the summer holidays. On several occasions I had discussed

schemas and the link to mathematics with the parents. The parents’ notes reflected

the breadth of the mathematics in which the children were engaged and that they

were able to identify. We were also able to celebrate the children’s focus and reflect

on how we could all support the children’s interests.

Parent’s diary, 25 July – Julian age 7 years:

Helping parents recognise children’s mathematical marks

McNaughton argues that ‘there is a need for educators to be clearer about

supporting complementary activities at home ... (and) develop shared goals and

activities with parents’ in order that practice is shared across the home and

education setting (McNaughton, 1995, p. 192). Open communication and collabor-

ation between early years settings and families appear to be the key to developing

Drew maps with contour lines, mountains, ship-wrecks, compass points, roads,

bridges and rivers. Made ‘collections’ of stones, foreign money, stamps and buttons.

Sam has been interested in shapes that are produced when shadows are cast. He is

becoming aware of when you place one shape together or beside another shape,

how this produces yet another shape. He also can often name the shape created.

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