How Can a Creative Corner Encourage a Group of 3-4 Year Old Mathematical Development - Literature review Example

How can a creative corner encourage a group of 3-4 year old mathematical development? Chapter Introduction Will write at the end… Chapter 2: Literature Review 2.1 Introduction During the past couple of decades, the education system has focused developing innovative ways through which learning can take place. Employing creative activities for educational development has also received attention. Often, creativity is not a word associated with formal learning of subjects such as mathematics. However, many researchers and scholars have been exploring the effectiveness of using creativity for mathematical development. This article tries to explore whether a creative corner can encourage a group of 3.-4 year old children with mathematical development. It attempts to look at some of the creative activities that are used, the benefits and also the role that a practitioner has to play in promoting mathematical development. 2.2 Theoretical Overview According to Talboys (2003), creativity is something that can extend to all the aspects of learning, including mathematics and not necessarily limited to activities such as art, theater of dancing. According to Jean Piagets theory on mathematical development, the children undergo a staged development, where by between 0-2 years (sensori-motor stage), they start using senses and reflexes, between 2-7 (pre-operational), they can use the symbols and languages, between the ages of 7-12 (concrete operational), they develop their logical thought and after 12 years (formal operational), they move on to abstract thinking (Gingsberg and Opper, 1988). Therefore, the pre-operational age when they use symbols and languages is one where mathematics can be introduced and since the children begin to identify symbols and languages, the learnings can be customized in a creative manner so that they related more with the symbols (Gingsberg and Opper, 1988). Vygotskys theory focus on cognitive development indicates that social factors and cultural background contribute to learning, which indicates that designing learning modules creatively based on some of these factors facilitate education (Wertsch, 1985). His theory also stresses on the importance of More Knowledgeable Other (MKO), who has a better insight and hence can impart knowledge (Wertsch, 1985). It can refer to teachers, peers, parents or any other source from which they can learn and highlights how a practitioner has an important role in imparting education through creativity. Tina Bruce also undertook a research on how to use creativity in learning and discovered that if the children learn with direct involvement, they can learn more efficiently. This indicates that using creative steps, such as a creative corner can enhance the learning process in children who are 3-4 year old (Bruce, 2004). 2.3 Creative Activities and their Benefits in Promoting Mathematical Development. For children who are between the ages of 3-4, setting up a creative corner in the school to encourage mathematical development can prove to be useful. During this age group, student learn to identify numbers and understand various geometric shapes (Craft, 2003). These aspects can be taught well with the help of a creative corner where students can understand them in a creative manner. For example, instead of using a traditional chart where children begin to count by looking at the images, the creative corner can have a collection of objects where children can go and pick objects and learn to count. Having objects of various shapes can help them in getting a touch and feel of the shape and hence, understanding the concept of shapes in a better manner (Craft, 2002). Carruthers and Worthingtons book on Childrens Mathematics: Making Marks, Making Meanings, says that children use symbols of their own to represent numerical symbols, counting and additions (Carruthers and Worthington, 2006). If a practitioner intervenes at the right stage and helps in making some changes to the symbols in an appropriate creative manner, the children learn more effectively. During the age of 3-4 the focus is more on oral learning and hence, a large number of objects that facilitate counting should be kept in the creative corner. Similarly, story telling sessions can be conducted in the creative corner in which the narrative makes use of numbers. Similarly, the creative corner can also use dramatization to enhance mathematical ability. Children can be provided with costumes related to shapes so that they understand concept of faces, edges and corners (Murdock, 2003). According to Bruce (2011), the most creative manner of ensuring mathematical development in preschool children is by teaching concepts which has a purpose to the child. For example, telling them about the shape of various snacks that they eat. adds, that creativity can be used by playing games and incorporating everyday activities that interest the children and both teachers and parents have to create such situations that children can be involved in (Bruce, 2011). One of the major benefits of learning through creativity is that it helps the children understand the topic in a concrete manner (May, 2008). As the children experience the creative aspect, the recall is high, making a more impactful learning experience. A creative corner also leads to better engagement as it creates more excitement in the children when compared to a traditional classroom environment (May, 2008). 2.4 Role of Practitioner in promoting mathematical development. With regard to any education module that is based on creativity, the creative teachers/practitioners have an important role to play to facilitate the learning process. From a general perspective, practitioners can encourage experimentation, ask more open-ended questions and motivate the children to think out of the box (Tucker, 2005). Practitioners also must understand that learning mathematics should not be restricted to just counting or identifying shapes (Tucker, 2005). In fact, they should make use of this opportunity to enhance the reasoning and problem solving skills of the children. For example, giving only one object to a group of 4 children can lead them to think that one is not enough, and they need more because they are a group of four. The biggest challenge before practitioner who wishes to teach in a creative manner is to identify the situation that they children face in their everyday life and to correlate it to creative activities (Tucker, 2005). Based on the social and cultural composition of the students in the class, the practitioner also should be able to make changes so that children can relate to it in a better manner. With regard to any education module that is based on creativity, the creative teachers/practitioners have an important role to play to facilitate the learning process. From a general perspective, practitioners can encourage experimentation, ask more open-ended questions and motivate the children to think out of the box. Chapter 3: Research Methodology Chapter 4: Findings and Analysis Chapter 5: Conclusions and recommendations Bruce, Tina. Developing Learning in Early Childhood. New York: Sage. 2004. Print. Bruce, Tina. Cultivating Creativity in Babies, Toddlers and Young Children. London: Hodder Education. 2011. Print. Craft, Anna.‘Creative thinking in the early years of education’, Early Years, 23, 2(2003): 143–54. Print. Craft, Anna. Creativity and Early Years Education. London: Continuum. 2002. Print. Carruthers, Elizabeth and Maulfry Worthington, M. Children’s Mathematics. Making Marks, Making Meaning. London: Paul Chapman Publishing, 2006. Print. Ginsburg, Herbert and Opper, Sylvia. Piagets theory of intellectual development. London: Prentice Hall, 1988. Print. May, Pamela. Creative Development in the Early Years Foundation Stage. London: David Fulton Publishers, 2008. Print. Murdtock, Mary C. The effects of teaching programmes intended to stimulate creativity: a disciplinary view’, Scandinavian Journal of Educational Research, 47, 3 (2003: 339–57. Print Hall, Nigel and Anne, Robinson. Exploring Writing and Play in the Early Years. London: David Fulton Publishers Ltd , 2003. Print. Talboys, Mary. (2004). “QCA’s creativity project” Creativity and Cultural Diversity. Ed. Marlyn, Fryer. England: The Creativity Centre Educational Trust Press Leeds. 181-188, 2004. Print. Tucker, Kate. Mathematics through Play in the Early Years: Activities and Ideas. London: Paul Chapman Publishers, 2005. Print. Wertsch, James V. Vygotsky and the social formation of mind. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1985. Print. Read More