How learning about learning trajectories has helped a teacher develop goals and objectives for her preschool children's mathematical knowledge, identify children's developmental levels in specific mathematical topics, and chart paths for instruction that will guide their learning of mathematics. Participating in research encouraged her to develop…

Discusses the basic features of the Building Blocks preschool mathematics curriculum including the research on which it was based, activities, and field-test results. (Author/NB)

Explores the history of early childhood mathematics education and discusses the impact of research on early childhood mathematics curriculum. (Author/NB)

Reviews research on the appropriateness of computer use with young children. Discusses the effects computer use on children's lives, interaction, social and emotional development, learning and thinking in mathematics, and the implications for teachers. (KHR)

Defines quality preschool mathematics that is developmentally appropriate for young children. Discusses the need for mathematics in preschool education and mathematics teachers' role in high-quality learning in preschool. (KHR)

Provides suggestions for implementing the geometry standards in an elementary curriculum by including all aspects of geometry. (KHR)

Describes young children's thinking about geometric shapes and discusses implications for teaching and learning. (KHR)

Presents an activity that capitalizes on the particular advantages of physical and computer pattern blocks. (KHR)

Examines activities and children's thinking in four main areas of the Geometry Standard in the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics' (NCTM) "Principles and Standards for School Mathematics": (1) properties of shapes; (2) locations and spatial relationships; (3) transformations and symmetry; and (4) visualization. (Author)

Focuses on subitizing, the ability to recognize small numbers of objects. Discusses when and how it develops and whether it should be taught. Contains 31 references. (ASK)

Describes typical student strategies for counting cubes in cube buildings and explains why these problems are difficult for students. Suggests instructional tasks that can help students develop more powerful ways of thinking about such problems. Lists two action research ideas related to this issue. (ASK)

Uses three computer software programs to help students develop algebraic reasoning. Programs include spreadsheets, Logo programming language, and Teasers by Tobbs. (ASK)

Discusses misconceptions about constructivism by identifying related myths such as students should always be actively and reflectively constructing, manipulatives make learners active, and cooperative learning is constructivist. One central goal of constructivism should be that students become autonomous and self-motivated in their learning.…

Points out that the notion of "concrete" is relative and argues the advantages of, and recommendations for, using computer manipulatives. (MKR)