Building children’s math knowledge requires a combination of rich math environments, engaging conversations, and opportunities for children to engage in meaningful activities that require problem solving.
DREME developed a robust set of professional development resources for teacher educators to use with teachers as they promote early math skill development. We drew upon research and our own experiences as teacher educators to help teachers design math learning opportunities around mathematical operations that are intentional, developmentally appropriate, engaging, and playful.
The Overview module, which provides important information about early math and overview resources that span across content areas, is organized into three sections:
- Background and Rationale resources provide foundational information about the teaching and learning of early math.
- Using Our Resources offers overview resources that complement specific resources in the content modules, including math thinking conversations, how to use picture books, and executive functioning and math.
- Getting Started: From the Community shares how early childhood teacher educators from beyond the DREME Network use these resources to support engagement with early math.
Resources Created for and by Teacher Educators
The DREME Teacher Educator website houses a trove of free early math teaching and learning resources, including videos, hands-on activities, handouts, and articles. The materials are flexible and easy to use in a variety of settings, from a professional development workshop to an entire preservice course in teaching math to young children.
The website is organized into modules addressing early math content areas, plus the Overview section:
We recognize that children come to school with diverse experiences and math-related knowledge that teachers can harness. Our materials focus on developing the ability of teachers to promote deep mathematical understanding in all children.
The DREME Teacher Educator team offers free, research-based support for prospective and practicing teachers to promote young children’s math learning.
