Marian Small - Fun and Fundamental Math for Young Children: Building a Strong Foundation in PreK–Grade 2

Building a Strong Foundation in PreKGrade 2

Foreword by Graham Fletcher

by Graham Fletcher

EACH FALL, preschool and primary teachers across the United States welcome students from all walks of life into their classrooms with open arms. These teachers are charged with one of the most, if not the most, important job in the world: educating and preparing young children for the future. They work tirelessly as they look to build trust, relationships, and a foundational understanding upon which all future learning will stand.

Being married to a kindergarten teacher, I can attest to the countless hours primary grade educators spend outside of the regular school day and throughout the summer months in search of lessons and resources. Rarely does the time allocated for planning within a school day end up being just that. It is usually spent taking their class to and from specials, using the restroom (often the only opportunity in a 7-hour span), or calling a parent for a change of clothes or a forgotten lunch. All of this goes to say that teachers very seldom have the time to invest in their own development and to prepare for what they loveteaching.

Unlike their secondary colleagues, primary teachers on a daily basis prepare for multiple lessons across multiple subject areas. It is for this reason that many preK2 teachers do not consider themselves as math teachers, but more as generalists. There is no doubt that every primary teacher wants to know and understand as much about elementary mathematics as possible. In my experience, teachers are continually seeking knowledge that helps them engage their students in the fundamentals of learning math while still making it fun along the way. But after years in the classroom, where should they turn and what resources can they trust? At a time when math resources are plentiful, it can be tough to choose one resource over another. Teachers face the constant question, Where will I get the most return for the little time I have to invest?

Thankfully, Marian Small has once again shared a beautiful blend of pedagogy and practice. Only this time shes written a book specifically for preschool through 2nd-grade teachers. Within the first few pages it quickly becomes apparent that, whether you are a new or a veteran teacher, your knowledge and appreciation of and for primary mathematics will grow page by page. For years, Small has shared her classroom experiences and empowered K12 teachers across the globe. As you read this book, you will feel charged with a greater understanding of what primary grade students need to know on their way to becoming successful mathematicians and how to help make it happen.

At the heart of the book is something that Small has continually helped me improve in my own practice over the years: building student autonomy and listening to their thinking. Each chapter begins with the fundamental understandings that teachers should have in order to move student understanding along the trajectory of learning. The nuances and misconceptions that are often missed or overlooked in our classrooms are uncoveredSmall does a brilliant job making some of the most difficult concepts accessible.

Each chapter is purposefully laid out to tackle some of the biggest ideas for our youngest learners. From subitizing and rote counting, to addition and subtraction with 2-digit numbers, to measurement and geometry, Small explains the importance of each concept and then provides practical and fun tasks that get 4-, 5-, 6-, and 7-year-old boys and girls engaged in key mathematical ideas. Each task shared throughout the book is carefully designed to provide students of all abilities with opportunities to make inferences and conjectures, ideas often missing in a primary classroom.