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Re: Manipulatives
Posted:
Apr 8, 1995 3:48 PM
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"...it doesn't say not to use manipulatives, just to use them well."
This, too, is the point that Ball makes quite elegantly (IMHO) in the
article I recommended a couple days ago! :)
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Angie S. Eshelman
116 Erickson Hall Office: (517) 353-0628
Michigan State University E-Mail: eshelma2@studente.msu.edu
East Lansing, MI 48824-1034
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At 11:38 AM 4/7/95, roitman@oberon.math.ukans.edu wrote:
>Tad's response ... reflects a serious concern, but it doesn't say
>not to use manipulatives, just to use them well.
>
>-----------------------------------
>
>>This may be a reply that you aren't expecting, but here it goes.
>>
>>I had a chance to talk with someone (who remains anonymous just in case
>>I'm completely mis-interpreting her view) during a conference for math ed
>>researchers. She is a very strong follower of Piaget/Constructivism and
>>she has been involved in curriculum development for elementary grade
>>levels for quite some time. Her curriculum is full of activities/games
>>and very little, if any worksheets (in the traditional sense) or drills.
>>However, she told me (and I think she was making a rather strong
>>statement to emphasize her point) that she did not like manipulatives.
>>Her reason, however, was very sound, in my opinion. She said that she
>>had seen too many teachers use manipulatives in a very
>>directed/prescribed ways so that children were not engaged in
>>exploration or experimentation. Children were simply pushing "blocks"
>>instead of pencils. I think she has a very good point. Too many of
>>pre-service teachers I work with believe manipulatives are so wonderful,
>>but have very little idea why, and they know little how to use them
>>constructively. So, the concerns expressed by "the Omaha Public School
>>are" may be legitimate. On the other hand, I wonder what they expect
>>teachers to do to teach mathematics to young children. I wonder what the
>>definition of "manipulatives" is.
>>
>> Tad Watanabe
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