The sense of patterns and patterns in the senses. an approach to the sensory area of a Montessori preschool classroom

ABSTRACT

This article presents and analyses a didactic proposal based on manipulative material (Knobless Cylinders) used in a Montessori classroom of 3-6-year-old pre-schoolers. Choosing this material is justified in relation to the competencies/strategies/skills used during the development of mathematical patterning. Numerous studies emphasise the importance of patterns in mathematics and experimental sciences instruction from early childhood onward. However, there are several educational factors that have not yet been clarified, such as meaningful learning, the overuse of abstract visual patterns that are distant from the student’s previous life experience, etc. This article discusses the sequence of proposed activities and certain critical issues.

KEYWORDS:

• Early mathematic education
• patterns
• didactic proposal
• Montessori method
• manipulative materials

Acknowledgment

This work has been carried out in collaboration with the University of the Basque Country through the project PPGA 20/05.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).