Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in
Book cover

Mathematics Education in the Early Years pp 333–349Cite as

How to Support Kindergarten Children in Spontaneous Measuring Activities

  • Chapter
  • First Online:

  • 1518 Accesses

Abstract

The study examines how Early Childhood Education students reflect on ways of supporting children in spontaneous mathematical situations. The aim is to investigate what it takes to follow up children in spontaneous daily life situations. Which challenges and dilemmas might appear? The study is based on Early Childhood Education students’ reports from kindergarten and interviews with them afterwards. The framework of The Knowledge Quartet (Turner and Rowland, Mathematical knowledge in teaching, New York, Springer, pp. 195–212, 2011) is used in the analysis. In addition, the theory of Biesta about the purpose of education is applied (Biesta, Eur J Educ 50:75–87, 2015). The study reveals that not only contingency is involved in spontaneous situations. Many aspects of The Knowledge Quartet are necessary for being able to act in the moment. Another issue is the passive-active dilemma, which regards to the amount of Early Childhood Education students who are passive in the sense that they are merely observing the children. One finding is that lack of aspects of The Knowledge Quartet is not the only reason for the passivity. Some Early Childhood Education students have well-founded reasons for their stance, which to a large extent are in line with Biesta’s theories on the purpose of education. The challenges of spontaneous activities as potential learning situations are discussed (I will use “student” to denote an Early Childhood Education teacher student and “child” to name a child in Kindergarten).

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution.

Chapter
USD   29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD   139.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD   179.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD   179.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Learn about institutional subscriptions

Notes

  1. 1.

    The recording student has 300 words to record an event and 300 to analyse it, while the commenting student has 300 words to describe what contributed to the activity and propose a follow-up activity.

References

  • Benz, C. (2016). Reflection: An opportunity to address different aspects of professional competencies in mathematics education. In T. Meaney, L. Troels, A. Wernberg, O. Helenius, & M. L. Johansson (Eds.), Mathematics education in the early years results from the POEM2 conference, 2014. New York: Springer.

    Google Scholar 

  • Biesta, G. (2015). What is education for? On good education, teacher judgement, and educational professionalism. European Journal of Education, 50(1), 75–87.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bishop, A. J. (1988). Mathematics education in its cultural context. In Mathematics education and culture (pp. 179–191). New York: Springer.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Björklund, C., & Barendregt, W. (2016). Teachers’ pedagogical mathematical awareness in Swedish early childhood education. Scandinavian Journal of Educational Research, 60(3), 359–377. https://doi.org/10.1080/00313831.2015.1066426

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Erfjord, I., Hundesland, P. S., & Carlsen, M. (2012). Kindergarten teachers’ accounts of their developing mathematical practice. ZDM, 44(5), 653–664.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Even, R., & Ball, D. L. (2008). The professional education and development of teachers of mathematics. New York: Springer.

    Google Scholar 

  • Flottorp, V. (2018). Jeg er størst! Om måling i barnehagen. Tema 2/2018. Oslo: Oslo Metropolitan University. 47 p.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fosse, T., Lange, T., Lossius, M. H., & Meaney, T. (2018). Mathematics as the Trojan horse in Norwegian early childhood policy? Research in Mathematics Education, 20(2), 166–182.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ginsburg, H. P., Inoue, N., & Seo, K. H. (1999). Young children doing mathematics: Observations of everyday activities. In J. V. Copley (Ed.), Mathematics in the early years (pp. 88–99). Reston, VA: NCTM.

    Google Scholar 

  • Helenius, O., Johansson, M., Lange, T., Meaney, T., Riesbeck, E., & Wernberg, A. (2015). Preschool teachers’ awareness of mathematics. 9th Swedish Mathematics Education Research Seminar, Umeå, February 4–5, 2014.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jansen, T. T. (2014). Lyttende didaktikk. In B. L. Letnes (Ed.), Barnehagedidaktikk: en dynamisk og flerfaglig tilnærming. Bergen: Fagbokforl.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kamii, C. (2006). Measurement of length: How can we teach it better? Teaching Children Mathematics, 13(3), 154–158.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Krummheuer, G. (2012). The “non-canonical” solution and the “improvisation” as conditions for early years mathematics learning processes: The concept of the “Interactional Niche in the Development of Mathematical Thinking” (NMT). Journal für Mathematik-Didaktik, 33(2), 317–338.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lange, T., Meaney, T., Riesbeck, E., & Wernberg, A. (2014). Mathematical teaching moments: Between instruction and construction. In U. Kortenkamp, B. Brandt, C. Benz, G. Krummheuer, S. Ladel, & R. Vogel (Eds.), Early mathematics learning. Selected papers of the POEM 2012 conference (pp. 37–54). Berlin: Springer Science+Business Media.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Lee, J. (2010). Exploring kindergarten teachers’ pedagogical content knowledge of mathematics. International Journal of Early Childhood, 42(1), 27–41.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lembrér, D., Kacerja, S., & Meaney, T. (2016). Preservice teachers recognising and responding to young children’s engagement with mathematics. In C. Benz, A. S. Steinweg, H. Gasteiger, P. Schöner, H. Vollmuth, & J. Zöllner (Eds.), Mathematics education in the early years. Results from the POEM3 conference (pp. 27–46). New York: Springer.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mason, J., & Spence, M. (1999). Beyond mere knowledge of mathematics: The importance of knowing-to act in the moment. Educational Studies in Mathematics, 38(1–3), 135–161.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ministry of Education and Research. (2017). Framework plan for the content and tasks of kindergartens. Oslo: Ministry of Education and Research.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mosvold, R., Bjuland, R., Fauskanger, J., & Jakobsen, A. (2011). Similar but different—investigating the use of MKT in a Norwegian kindergarten setting. Proceedings of the seventh congress of the European Society for Research in Mathematics Education (Cerme7), Rzeszow.

    Google Scholar 

  • Østrem, S., Bjar, H., Dehnæs Hogsnes, H., Føsker, L. R., Rydfjord Tholing, K., Nordtømme, S., et al. (2009). Alle teller mer: en evaluering av hvordan Rammeplan for barnehagens innhold og oppgaver ble innført, brukt og erfart. Rapport 1/2009. Borre: Høgskolen i Vestfold.

    Google Scholar 

  • Palmer, A. (2012). Hvordan blir man matematisk: å skape nye relasjoner til matematikk og kjønn i arbeidet med yngre barn. Bergen: Fagbokforlaget.

    Google Scholar 

  • Polya, G. (1945/1971). How to solve it: A new aspect of mathematical method. Princeton, NJ: Princeton Unive rsity Press.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Rowland, T., & Ruthven, K. (Eds.). (2011). Introduction: Mathematical knowledge in teaching. New York: Springer.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sarama, J., & Clements, D. H. (2009). Early childhood mathematics education research: Learning trajectories for young children. Abingdon: Routledge.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Sarama, J., Clements, D. H., Barrett, J. E., Van Dine, D. W., & McDonel, J. S. (2011). Evaluation of a learning trajectory for length in the early years. ZDM Mathematics Education, 43, 667–680.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Shulman, L. S. (1986). Those who understand: Knowledge growth in teaching. Educational Researcher, 15(2), 4–14.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Steinsholt, K., & Sommerro, H. (2006). Improvisasjon: kunsten å sette seg selv på å spill. Oslo: Damm.

    Google Scholar 

  • The Norwegian Association of Higher Education Institutions—UHR. (2017). The national guidelines for early childhood education. Oslo: The Norwegian Association of Higher Education Institutions.

    Google Scholar 

  • Turner, F., & Rowland, T. (2011). The Knowledge Quartet as an organising framework for developing and deepening teachers’ mathematics knowledge. In T. Rowland & K. Ruthven (Eds.), Mathematical knowledge in teaching (pp. 195–212). New York: Springer.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Van de Heuvel-Panhuizen, M., & Buys, K. (2005). Young children learn measurement and geometry. Amersfoort: Drukkerij Wilco.

    Google Scholar 

  • van Oers, B. (1996). Are you sure? Stimulating mathematical thinking during young Children’s play. European Early Childhood Research Journal, 4(1), 71–87.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Oslo Met—Oslo Metropolitan University, Oslo, Norway

    Vigdis Flottorp

Authors
  1. Vigdis Flottorp
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Vigdis Flottorp .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Mathematical Sciences Faculty of Engineering and Science, University of Agder, Kristiansand, Norway

    Martin Carlsen , Ingvald Erfjord  & Per Sigurd Hundeland ,  & 

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2020 Springer Nature Switzerland AG

About this chapter

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this chapter

Flottorp, V. (2020). How to Support Kindergarten Children in Spontaneous Measuring Activities. In: Carlsen, M., Erfjord, I., Hundeland, P.S. (eds) Mathematics Education in the Early Years. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-34776-5_20

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-34776-5_20

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-030-34775-8

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-030-34776-5

  • eBook Packages: EducationEducation (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation