Just as foundational illiteracy creates barriers across all subjects, foundational innumeracy limits a student’s critical thinking and problem-solving capacity. In the primary classroom, mathematics must be about more than just memorizing a sequence of numbers or completing a worksheet.
Utilizing structured mathematics frameworks, such as the principles found in the Kansas Math Project, my focus in the classroom is guiding students through the Concrete-Representational-Abstract (CRA) sequence. Before a student can understand a written equation (Abstract), they must be able to physically build it (Concrete) and draw it (Representational). This sequence eliminates math anxiety and builds true conceptual understanding.
How Parents Can Support This at Home: Mathematics is happening all around your house. You can build your child’s numeracy skills by integrating math into everyday routines.
- Make It Tactile: If your child is struggling with basic addition or subtraction homework, take the pencil away and get out the physical objects. Use dry pasta, buttons, or blocks. Have them physically build the math problem before they try to solve it on paper. This rebuilds the brain-hand connection.
- Talk About the “Why”: When your child gives an answer to a math question, ask them, “How did you figure that out?” Encouraging them to verbally explain their mathematical reasoning solidifies the concept in their brain and builds academic confidence.
- Real-World Sorting and Grouping: Let your children help with household tasks that require categorization. Sorting laundry by color or matching socks builds early data analysis and geometry skills. When cooking, let them help measure ingredients—fractions and volume are much easier to understand when they are hands-on!
Dr. Teyuna Darris 