Mathematics

Dr. Montessori demonstrated that if children have access to mathematical materials in their early years, they can easily and joyfully assimilate many facts and skills of arithmetic. At a young age they are introduced to the numerals one to ten, and how to count with a one-to-one correspondence. The children work first from concrete examples of number as they move from the concrete to the abstract, from the known to the unknown.

Montessori math materials isolate one concept for the child to absorb. The materials are easy to manipulate and represent all types of quantities. She not only sees the quantities for 1, 10, 100, 1000, etc., but can hold them in her hand. Later, she is shown the written symbols or number for that quantity.

When the child is ready for mathematical operations like addition, he can actually perform the operation with the concrete materials. There are a variety of materials the child can use for the same operation. This variety not only maintains the child’s interest, but also allows for much repetition. In this way, the child gains a true understanding of the mathematical operation.