What is Montessori Maths?

Developing mathematical skills and spatial awareness is one of the most important things we can help children with. Children learn to recognize shapes, angles, size, position, and the spaces they live in. Montessori Maths has a wonderful process of working with materials, from concrete forms to the more abstract.

Montessori Math materials

Math materials in every Montessori classroom are all ordered from the simpler to more complex. By working with authentic Montessori Math materials, children are encouraged to develop and bring to life their understanding of mathematical concepts.

Montessori Math: Bridging the physical and the abstract

In traditional schools, children usually start working with written numbers very early on. This can be very difficult for children to grasp. Using the Montessori Maths method, children are first encouraged to physically hold blocks (called The Golden Beads in Montessori) and Number Rods. Children learn to organise numbers in their heads, understand how much space objects take up, and what numbers mean in “the real world” sense.

A Montessori Maths approach will allow children to move onto using a pen and paper with a broader understanding of what a number represents in the physical world. A bridge has been created in the mind of a child between the physical and the abstract.

What comes before and after Montessori maths activities?

Just like the other areas of the curriculum in a Montessori classroom are ordered, Montessori maths works exactly the same. Everything on the shelves has to be arranged in order, and the directress must be sure of what to present before and after a certain activity. For example, you have to present the Red Rods in Sensorial first, which visually shows the child the concept getting bigger, as you will build the Red Rods from the smallest rod to the biggest rod.

The Importance of presenting Montessori maths activities in the right order

The directress then should present the Number Rods, a similar Montessori maths activity using ten rods, also differentiating in 10 cm. The Number Rods differ as they have an alternating blue coloured rod, which helps the child practice counting in a concrete way.

The child therefore will have to know how to build the Red Rods before building the Number Rods.