I wonder how you felt about math when you were in school? I have heard many early childhood professionals say math was not their favorite subject. I actually liked math, but even now I can remember how it felt when we were faced with long division problems with a remainder…or subtraction problems like 105-89 when we had to “borrow.”
But math in early childhood is very different. We’re laying the foundation. Our work is much more about the ways we help children be interested in numbers, to know what “counting” means, and to know how and why we count. Those are fundamental things we all care about.
Of course math is much more than counting, but that’s a good place to start for now. Watch how Fred approaches counting, with lots of non-verbal cues about how much fun and meaningful math can be.
Transition Times
February 2024: The other day in the dentist's office, I found myself quoting a Fred song - "I like to be told." I was thanking the hygienist for letting me know what to expect, each step of the way. As Fred sang, "It helps me to get ready for all those things that are new...I trust you more and more..."
January 2024: We live in a world where we've come to expect instant gratification. We expect immediate answers to our emails. We expect next-day deliveries for our online orders. We expect our microwaved food to be ready in seconds. No wonder we get upset when we have to wait.
A Special Gift for Mr. McFeely...and messages for us all
December 2023: This month the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences is giving a special gift to our very own "Speedy Delivery," David Newell, whom we all know as "Mr. McFeely." We're proud to announce that David will be inducted into the National Academy's Gold Circle at the Emmy's Children and Family...
Your financial support of the Institute helps us expand our initiatives and resources so that educators and children's helpers can continue to learn and grow from Fred Rogers' legacy. Thank you!