making math fun?

[shrinkmom]

I have recently started a Montessori homeschool preschool for our sons and our 4 year old avoids math works. He has said he doesn't like math b/c it's not fun. We have started with a math work involving the bead stair and tens beads as well as a set of 0-9 numerals with counters which we've used to help him learn even and odd numerals. Any ideas how to make math more appealing?

[Koloe]

This isn't "Montessori" but back in high school I was tutoring/babysitting a 2nd grader after school and I ended up making a Memory type game with basic subtraction and addition problems because she hated doing work sheets. Her younger brother (kindergarten I think) loved it.

Though she hated doing anything related to school work I learned from her teacher that she started improving after I started helping her in several different topics. So I must have been doing something right. To bad I didn't know anything about Montessori back then. But I did know that fun and hands on were good ways to learn things.

Personally I would look for counting games. Have him help you make food - he will have to measure ingredients out.

[freistms]

This is Montessori: If you've made it available to him and he isn't interested, wait until he is interested. He will be eventually. I would say at that age many of the sensorial works would contribute to math understanding, too.

If you just can't stand to wait, maybe you could peruse some Montessori websites together and let him decide which kinds of Montessori math work he thinks might be fun to work on. One of the benefits of the classroom is that all the works are there, so the child gets the pick. If you don't have that luxury at home (most people don't), maybe letting him pick which ones will be available will help pique his interest.

Good luck! And trust your child . . .

[MattBronsil]

I really liked the idea of having him look through a web site to see what might interest him. I think the main thing is to find out WHY it doesn't interest him. That can only be done through observation.
--Does he already know this material? Then it's time to move on and show him something else.
--Is he having trouble understanding the cards and counters? That's more abstract than the red and blue rods, so maybe he needs to take a step back.
--Does he have good 1:1 correspondence?
--How is his rote counting?

It's harder for me to answer homeschooling questions because it's a different environment. But the freedom of choice should still be a main part. Let him come to the materials - don't make the materials come to him.

[Lillianna]

Part of the training to become Montessori is developing strategies to entice the child to use a particular material. We discuss how to make the activity aesthetically pleasing and interesting and how to find the right moment for the presentation. However, certain aspects inherent in the prepared environment help with enticing the child's interest and the use of the materials. Having slightly older peers to observe at work is one of the most effective ways to create motivation and interest in a material. Having all the materials available for the child's choice at the moment of interest and having a three hour work period to concentrate on the activity undisturbed...all of these aspects help with making the materials more interesting. Also, having to wait for your individual presentation or having to wait until you have accomplished another goal both help to entice a child to work with the materials. kwim?
Now, I'm not sure how you can reconcile this as a home educator except to say what other PPs have said as far as letting the child choose the work. You ask that he watch the lesson, but when and for how long he practices is his choice...and, you respect you're child's individuality. He may or may not have a personal affinity towards math work in general. This may not be his avenue. But you could use his interests (sports, mechanics, music, art, etc.) to create math experiences. Raise mathematical awareness by emphasizing numbers and calculations in your everyday life. (grocery store, telephone, calendar)
The ten boards is a pretty big jump for a 4 year old in the basic Montessori math progression. Usually the 4 year old is just beginning in the math area with Group 1 (number rods, sandpaper numbers, spindle boxes, card and counters and memory game of numbers). This process can take up to 6 months. The tens are in Group 2, but after teen beads and teen boards.

[nkm1968]

Since you are homeschooling, try a few "unschooling" but Montessori tactics to hook him into the joy AND importance of math...cooking is good, having him measure 2 cups of flour, 2/3 cup of shortening, cutting it, a few tablespoons of ice water, a pinch of salt, and voila: pie crust. Or doubling a recipe for rice crispie treats (one pan for home, one to take to the local teen shelter: math PLUS practical life PLUS grace and courtesy). Or figuring out how to construct a lego whatever that is TWICE as tall and wide as another, or how much money you need to buy a number of items he wants (like if one lick-on tatoo at the Irish fest is 10 cents, how much money does he need for 2?).

Both of my DDs have been reluctant mathematics explorers in their Montessori classrooms, but luckily they were able to have enough real life needs for math ability to suck them into trying the works...but in a lot of ways, the natural uses of numbers and the adding, subtracting, multiplying, and dividing needed to do real work were more effective in letting them aquire those skills than the "checkerboard multiplication" or "test tube division" lessons that they eventually aquiesed to and practiced under duress. Just our experience though, no need for anybody to get up in arms.

[Lillianna]

Originally Posted by nkm1968

no need for anybody to get up in arms.

Was this directed at me? Not sure what you mean by this, N?
I'm never sure if my posts are worded clearly and worried that I come across pedantic and sort of priggish.
Anyway, what I meant was that I think for many 4 year olds, the ten boards might be too much of a challenge initially and this might in fact, make "math too hard". Presenting too much challenge too quickly can contribute to a child not having interest or to saying something is not fun it's because it's not the right amount of challenge. Like Matt said, that material may be either too easy or too hard...

[shrinkmom]

All the comments have been very helpful. We have always taught our kids in a fairly "unschooling" sort of way, so the suggestion to go that route makes alot of sense. In fact, he's actually good at applying math in daily life when he doesn't realize that's what he's doing. I think I'll have him look at math works with me to see what he might like. That was another good suggestion. We actually did that with some of the materials. I got the ideas for the math works we have from "Montessori for the Earth" website. I have several books I've drawn from too so I'll go back and reread to make sure he's really mastered the math concepts he needs to do the works we have. Today I did find a way to gain and maintain his interest in the cards and counters but it was probably very unMontessori. I engaged his imagination and told him he would get to be the "tester" of numbers to determine which "party" the numbers got to go to, the party for odd numbers or the party for even numbers. He loved the idea and stayed with that work for along time. I have always had a math phobia so I just want to make sure I don't pass it on! I don't "need" for him to do the math works but I want to make sure I'm providing the right sort of experiences so that he won't find math to be drudgery. We learned a long time ago that until he's ready, there's no "making" him learn anything.