Assessment One

PART A

Evy Cool

Part A:

Mathematics, Science and Technology have not been in my thoughts for a very long time. I know that Mathematics and Science concepts surround us on a daily basis, yet it is not that I think of these everyday, as Mathematics and Science was part of my life in the late 60’s and early 70’s, whilst I was at school. Complex Technology was in its early birth cycle, comparing of how it has advanced today much more powerful and smaller.
In this assignment, I will only look at in terms of how Mathematics, Science and Technology make my life easier. This subject investigates a great opportunity to look back at how my ideas were formed and what I truly believe in. It is interesting to look back at the direction I will take as a Teacher, How will my attitudes be reflected as a Teacher? Do I have ‘baggage’ from my early Mathematics and Science experiences, and what are the positives I can bring to my practices when working with children? Cross (1996) states that ‘Children develops though our thinking… and these skills…enables them to interact with their total environment in more sophisticated ways and gives them a greater appreciation of interconnectedness of life’ (p42).
The purpose of assignment is to look back of how Mathematics, Science and Technology were formed and how I learnt these subjects through my parents and teachers. When I hear the words ‘When I was a child things were different then’, I just bend my head down, giggle and nod my head and saying ‘Here we go again!’ I approached my nieces and nephews about these subjects, commenting of how I was taught Mathematics, Science and Technology in my days. My nieces and nephews were too laughing hysterically, commenting ‘those were your days, but not now’. I was surprised to see how much in common my nieces, nephews and I had, and the memories of learning Mathematics, Science and Technology had changed dramatically over the years. I believe that children learn Mathematics, Science and Technology through play and ‘play is important for their healthy brain development, as it allows children to use their creativity while developing their imagination, dexterity and physical, cognitive and emotional strength, and the wellbeing of the children’ (Shonkoff and Meisels 2003, p279). Mathematics was different then. I learnt to count with my fingers as this was the only way to add or take away. Copley (2008) believes that children learn Mathematics through counting their fingers, counting one by one with my thumbs and fingers, memorising and problem solving them (p55). I remembered playing and constructing towers with the Cuisenaire Rods of varying colours and lengths. I learnt mathematics with the Cuisenaire Rods and memorised the coloured rods as numbers such as ‘red + green = yellow’ or ‘blue – pink = pink’. This was difficult for me to remember. Copley (2008) also suggested that block building offers one example of play’s value for mathematical learning. As children build with blocks, they constantly accumulate experiences with the ways in which objects can be related, and those experiences become the foundation for a multitude of mathematical concepts (p54)

Classic unit blocks and other construction materials such as connecting blocks give children entry into a world where objects have predictable similarities and relationships (Copley 2008, p97). I learnt to make houses by counting Lego blocks, by laying them on the floor to make rooms and purposely leaving the roof off so I could play with toy people. I used to collect paddle pop sticks from friends so I could build a house or a picture frame. I learnt to measure timber frames from my father to build a house. He taught me to use the measuring tape and showed me to mark them by writing ‘Uno’ and ‘Due’ (one and two in Italian), so he would know the right frames for the roof or walls. ‘Children learn