The mother is always considered as the first teacher. That is why the children learn math at home before they go to a formal school.
Awhile ago I come across with Math Trails. I am curious to know what is this all about. What come to my mind is scouting. As I read its historical background, I was wrong. The games and activities reminded of my early days in the college. I was taking education course at that time. I was majoring elementary mathematics. Our math female instructor raised a question if math has already existed before. We answered in chorus, “Yes. It was Pythagoras who introduced it. So he was the father of mathematics.”
She asked what situations in math is experienced by the child before he formally goes to school. Only a few gave their answers. I gave one and I was to explain it when it was already time for our next class. And this time, I am contemplating this Math Trails. One teacher posted a query about this Math Trails and I searched it on the Internet. My fruitful college days came alive.
Before he goes to school, the child has already a wide variety of exposure of what is math and how he actively used it. In short, he had already a foreknowledge of mathematics and had applied it in his day-to-day life. By the time, he gets out from the womb till his final day at the tomb.
When a child is asked how many are they in the family, he is ready to answer by presenting his counting fingers. Eating with his siblings and parents, he knows how many plates needed when asked to get plates for them. He knows how heir house looks like in spatial figures are concerned.
While playing, he was called by his mother to go home. He took some time to reach home right away. His mother would ask him while he took so long. He would say he takes several steps from his neighbor’s house to theirs. He familiarizes himself of the distance. In the same case, he looks at the star during night time. He would compare the distance of the star and the moon. He knows the great difference by calculation.
In geometry, he would likely to react what is a cone. He would be hearing from the ice cream vendor who let him choose for his ice cream to be placed. Is it in a cup or in a cone? He would be asking his mother why the plates are in various shapes like circle, square, and rectangle. He would be watching a baseball game. He would be wondering why there are triangles or diamonds in the playing field. Also, he would have the idea that the running athletes are making round in the oval.
Math trail is a walk exploration to discover mathematics. There is a map or trail to walk through. Finding various instances of shapes, distances, heights are among the things concerned. This is an application of math games. The students searched in their community, in the playground, in the buildings. And wherever they are assigned to do their math exploration.
In 1985 Dudley Blane and Clarke conducted this math trail in England and in Australia. They’re investigating trail’s mathematical ideas in the pavement, train station, and almost anywhere. In making this game working well, there should be a trailblazer and the walkers.
The situation in math trail and of the child while he is at home paves the way to the unfurling of mathematical ideas. The child’s mind is mathematically enhanced and developed.
image by Antranias/Pixabay/Public Domain
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I must say I have never that expression or activity such as a Math Trail. It does make sense though as a child learns while growing up whether he is at home or school. That math is never quite forgotten as it is used every day of every person's life. It is an interesting concept though.
Very informative blog. Math Trail is something I have never heard of. You are right. In every walk of life there is Math. We are always adding, subtracting, multiplying, counting... That is life.
Yes, the thing you discuss here a few people know about it well and other just have heard it or not but is is very difficult for common men.
Bu I think that math trail is that as I have understood, A math trail is a walk with various stops where you look at math in the world around you, and ask questions about it.
Math trails are a great way to stimulate interest in math—especially among students in middle school or high school, when classroom math often becomes more abstract.
A math trail, whether presented in pictures or in person, should tell a story of the area. It should include background, history and of course mathematics. When presenting a virtual math trail to the class, it is best to tell the story behind the pictures and then discuss the math within the picture.
Having the students create their own math problems during the math trail discussion enhances the activity. As students share thoughts and verbally express ideas, they will be able to communicate mathematically.