Early Childhood Standards of Quality for ... - State of Michigan

ELE: Early learning in mathematicsEarlyLearning inMathematicsYoung children’s early understandings of mathematics are broad in scope andextend well beyond numbers and counting. Problem solving is the central focusof the mathematics curriculum from the early years onward. How children’s earlyunderstandings are supported and extended by their parents and caregivers/teachers enable them to use and expand their knowledge. Mathematicalexperiences involving interactions with the environment, materials, peers andsupportive adults give children opportunities to build, modify, and integrate simplemathematical concepts.1. Early Learning Expectation: Children begin to develop processesand strategies for solving mathematical problems. [HSCOF-M3.1.1, 3.1.2]Children typically:1. Try to solve problems in their daily lives using mathematics; e.g., howmany napkins are needed.2. Generate new problems from every day mathematical situations and usecurrent knowledge and experience to solve them; e.g., distribute crackers.3. Begin to develop and use various approaches to problem solving basedupon their trial and error experiences.4. Begin to talk about the processes and procedures they used to solveconcrete and simple mathematical situations.108 Michigan Department of Education