5 Games To Teach Mathematics With The Montessori Method
There are more and more educational methods for teaching children that are alternative to traditional ones. In the following lines we will tell you how you can teach mathematics with the Montessori method to children. But remember that each parent is free to choose the method that best suits their child’s learning.
The Montessori method maintains that adults are guides in children’s learning and that they have the ability to learn by themselves, followed by their interests and tastes. Do you want to know how you can teach mathematics with the Montessori method? Keep reading!
How to teach mathematics with the Montessori method?
María Montessori, doctor, psychologist and teacher, created the increasingly popular Montessori method. In it , autonomous learning is encouraged in children, creating a totally manipulative and pleasant environment, all in order to stimulate the child’s creativity, imagination and desire to learn.
Thus, an attempt is made to ensure that the little ones reach the greatest possible potential with total freedom for their learning, but guided by the adults. Children, through the method, feel more motivated to learn, since it is they, moved by their interests, who choose what to do, discovering new things in that environment prepared for it.
How to do it?
In the case at hand, teaching mathematics with the Montessori method, the principle is the same. By this we mean that it is the child who decides what math concepts he wants to learn. For example, you may be interested in a booklet with addition and subtraction that we have at home and, when you do not understand it, you will ask us.
For this method to be effective, we must have, both at home and at school, games and notebooks on mathematics, according to the age of our children. In addition, the little one should have them within reach so that he can be interested in playing those games and math books or notebooks.
Resources for teaching math with the Montessori method
There is a wide variety of materials and games based on this method. We can find them in stores, but we can also make them ourselves with simple materials that we can find at home. We are going to see some of the games and materials that we can use to teach math.
Accountants
This technique is very effective for performing operations and knowing mathematical symbols (adding, subtracting, multiplying and dividing). If we don’t have an accountant and we do have an abacus, we can leave it in his sight, so that he begins to be interested in it and to manipulate it. You will surely start asking us questions about this instrument soon.
Numbers and numbers non-stop
To learn the numbers, we can use this game. We just have to write the numbers from 1 to 50, cut them out and then ask the child to order them in different ways. For example, by groups, from highest to lowest, from lowest to highest, from back to front, and we can even introduce the even and odd concept, to group them in that way. You will have fun while learning math!
Wooden blocks
Wooden blocks can be a good tool to teach children the concepts of addition and subtraction, (if we add blocks we add and if we remove we subtract). Also, if these blocks have different sizes and weights, we can also work on the lengths and weight of the objects.
Game of zeros
We can use this game so that they learn the units, tens, hundreds, etc., and they can count beyond 1000. We will cut out pieces of cardboard or cardboard with the numbers from 1 to 9. On the other hand, we will prepare other cards with 0. Then, we just have to ask the child to gather a number of those he has (1-9) and add cards of 0.
What time is it?
For the child to become familiar with the hours of the clock, we can buy a wooden one or make it ourselves. We will need 12 stoppers for bottles of water or milk; small cardboard circles would also do. In each of them we will put the numbers from 1 to 12.
We will cut another larger cardboard in the shape of a circle and there we will glue the caps, like in a clock. The needles of this can be made of cardboard or plastic, we put them in the center, and we already have a clock! We will leave them within his grasp so that he can begin to manipulate it himself.
Regarding the games to teach mathematics with the Montessori method …
You have already seen some of the games to teach mathematics with the Montessori method to children. No need to buy games or supplies; Without spending money, we can have educational games for our children. With this we will be helping them to learn, not only mathematics, but any other discipline.
We can stimulate their desire to learn and take an interest in educational concepts if we provide them with the appropriate materials for it.
