Contents
Module Objectives
In this module you will:
- Recognize the importance of embedding math in infant classrooms
- Analyze how play materials support infants to develop math concepts
- Evaluate what math concepts are embedded in an infant classroom observation
Activity #1: Math for Babies
Read Geist (2009) and Greenberg (2012). Complete this handout as you read the articles.
Find the toy associated with your name
Watch this video:
Review the developmental milestone for an 18-month-old baby
Watch this video of 18-month-old babies (pick 1 child to focus on)
Answer the questions below using information from the readings and handout:
- What specific math skills/concepts from Geist (2009) could a baby develop from your toy?
- How will the toy help the baby develop those math skills?
- What math skills from Geist (2009) are the babies in the video developing? How?
- What can infant teacher do to help babies develop math skills?
- Which 18-month-old did you focus on (indicate the color of their child’s short)? What cognitive, social/emotional, physical/motor, and language/communication developmental milestones is the 18-month-old baby in the video demonstrating? How?
- How is the 18-month-old’s cognitive, social/emotional, physical/motor, and language/communication development different from the 1-year-old baby that you observed in?
CLICK HERE TO ANSWER THE QUESTIONS
Activity #2: Play
Read Guyton (2011) and Shabazian & LiSoga (2014). Complete this handout as you read the articles.
Watch Let’s Talk About Following the Baby video. Complete this handout as you watch the video
Answer the question below:
- What play materials support infant development?
- How specifically do the play materials support infant development?
- How should infant teachers engage and play with babies to support their development?
- Use specific information from each of the readings and the video to support your answer.
CLICK HERE TO ANSWER THE QUESTIONS
Activity #3: Self-Reflection
At the end of the semester you will determine your grade for ECE 209 based on your self-assessment of what you have learned. In preparation for your self-assessment, answer the questions below; you will answer these questions at the end of each module so you have a record of what you have learned over the semester. You can answer the questions here on Open Lab or create a journal on Blackboard (which would be private).
- What did you learn in this module?
- Information/ knowledge
- Skills
- Insights (connections you made or “ah-ha’s” you had about the material)
- How will the material from this module better prepare you to work with infants?
