Reflecting on Young Children’s Mathematics Learning

Abstract

Over the last six years, South Australian preschool and first years of school educators have come together to consider how they can facilitate young children’s learning of powerful mathematical ideas without jeopardizing the well-established benefits of young children learning through play. The chapter begins with a brief discussion around the recognition of young children as powerful mathematicians and how this recognition is facilitated through the documentation of children’s mathematical learning through using learning stories. It then introduces the “Early Years Numeracy Project” in South Australia and reviews the development of a major artefact from the project: the “Reflective Continua”. Ways in which educators have used the Reflective Continua to stimulate the powerful mathematics learning of young children complete the chapter. [Author abstract]