Introduction to Mathematics

Math is all around the young child from day one. How old are you? In one hour you will go to school. You were born on the 2nd.

Number itself cannot be defined and understand of number grows from experience with real objects but eventually they become abstract ideas. It is one of the most abstract concepts that the human mind has encountered. No physical aspects of objects can ever suggest the idea of number. The ability to count, to compute, and to use numerical relationships are among the most significant among human achievements.

Little children are naturally attracted to the science of number. Mathematics, like language, is the product of the human intellect.

It is therefore part of the nature of a human being. Mathematics arises form the human mind as it comes into contact with the world and as it contemplates the universe and the factors of time and space.

Spoken language is used to express abstract concepts and to communicate them to others. In addition to the spoken language, humans came to need a language to express quantitative experience, and from this came the language of mathematics.

The mathematical material gives the child his own mathematical experience and to arrive at individual work. There are some teacher directed activities but these are followed with activities for the individual. Some work begins with small group lessons, these too will be toward independent, individual work.

The Exercises in arithmetic are grouped. There is some sequential work and some parallel work. The first group is Numbers through Ten. The experiences in this group are sequential. When the child has a full understanding of numbers through ten, the second group, The Decimal System, can be introduced.