Webinar: Playful Math Instruction

Description:

Presented by; 
Deborah Stipek
Judy Koch Professor of Education,
Stanford University

Math lessons are rare in early childhood settings in part because efforts to develop academic skills have focused on literacy. Some early childhood educators eschew teacher-directed lessons, believing that all teaching needs to be conducted in the context of child-initiated activities, and they worry about the effect of standards and accountability on early childhood education.

In this session I will summarize longitudinal research that demonstrates the importance of developing young children’s math skills, and discuss the value of planned, teacher-designed activities to support children’s math learning. I will also discuss the benefits of having standards to guide curriculum planning and strategies to avoid negative effects.

Most of the webinar will focus on strategies for teaching math to young children that are playful and age-appropriate and that can be implemented without undermining children’s curiosity and love of learning. We will touch upon ways to use commercial curricula flexibly as instructional guides.