This book emphasizes the importance of teaching mathematics in a meaningful way. It is designed for elementary school teachers who are interested in why and how certain mathematical concepts and skills work. Topics discussed include: numbers and numerals; sets and sentences; the teaching of addition, subtraction, multiplication and division in the set of whole numbers; the set of rational numbers; and measurement and geometry. Topics are presented by including teaching techniques which will help the student understand the meaning of specific mathematical concepts. Each area is introduced in ascending order of difficulty at appropriate grade-level designations. A student's readiness to learn a new concept is regarded as very important. The reader is provided with class-tested teaching methods and evaluative materials which implement the concepts being taught. (FL)