Natural Maths

"I adore maths!!!"

"When is it time for maths?"

"Can we play maths games?"

These are the straightforward reactions I receive from my class of 5-year-olds. Cultivating a passion for math was never instinctive for me. During my school years, I was consistently placed in the lowest math class. I struggled to grasp the concepts, disliked using textbooks, and had a negative self-image regarding math. However, upon attending university, I discovered a direct link between my creativity, artistic skills, and math. It turned out that math was actually enjoyable!

As an Early Years Educator, I emphasise the importance of making math enjoyable and relevant, allowing every child to view themselves as a mathematician. I incorporate games, songs, rhymes, and outdoor activities to help children recognise math in the real world. Ann and John Baker, the creators of the Natural Maths program, have been instrumental in boosting my confidence to further nurture a love for math. Their approach is genuine, interactive, and engaging.

Today, we explored the concept of shape, focusing on recognizing and categorizing different shapes. Although this will eventually lead to patterning, our adventure today took us outdoors. We captured images and sorted the shapes we observed in our schoolyard. The enthusiasm this activity generated was incredible!

“That's a triangle and a square!”

“I see something round?? A circle!”

“I see a square with a circle inside it!”

CathGProfessional Learning Journey 2017