I have always loved toys. It started with spending my Sunday mornings fighting for toys at Toys R Us. Then evolved to open-ended Waldorf imagination-inspired toys. I love the way natural wood feels when I touch it. That’s probably why I’m so fond of math manipulatives. They are colorful, fun, and helpful, especially for a child with dyscalculia or who struggles with math.
Before I became a math interventionist I couldn’t care less. Now I look at things differently. They are everywhere, rulers, measuring cups, money, dice, plastic chips, popsicles, beads.
I created these math kits for my students to enjoy during distance learning. It’s like they’re receiving a gift, and gets them a little excited about math. I even threw in some Minecraft stickers (seems like everyone one of my students is addicted to that game).
My students loved coming to my actual classroom to “play” with the math “toys.” Who knew, my class would provide a respite from their regular school day. Children skipped joyfully to my class, some trying to get in 20 minutes early. They said it wasn’t “real” math, but fun math.
My goal is to help children find enjoyment in math, build confidence in their abilities and learn something while they’re at it. Many of my students initially say they hate math time, but it changes.
A child develops her self-image as a learner by third grade. It’s tragic to go thru life feeling bad about math and avoiding careers in the STEM field. Whereas these students can learn math and may need to be taught differently.
I teach them explicitly in a multi-sensory manner with lots of repetition and encouragement. The toys help to keep them engaged. If you’re working with your kiddos, why not make math fun and more memorable by adding manipulatives?