From: carol hartley <ephatha@absamail.co.za>
To: Teacher2Teacher Public Discussion
Date: 2005011809:23:12
Subject: Addition and subtraction with numbers 1-20

I agree with Ralph that 6 pages of written work is excessive, and also
with his opinion that using fingers is not bad. Children that age
still need to learn concretely, and should ideally have assimilated
what the meaning, feel, heft, of those numbers are before being
required to record in abstract figures.  I don't know where you are,
Ilana, but if in North America, see if you can get information on Math
Their Way, a system devides by the late Mary Baratta-Lorton of
California, to have children learn math according to the principles of
Jean Piaget. They learn first by doing, with concrete manipulative,
then represent by meaningful symbols (eg graphs showing pictograms)
and then use the abstract and pretty arbitrary representations like
numbers. For my money it is the best, most sensible, child-friendly
way of teaching numeracy.	

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