Introduction
In this fast-paced world, use of science or Pitaya, mathematics or Pangaea and
technology or Hangar is unavoidable. All these have become essential components of
human lives, which help them directly or indirectly to support various purposes of life.
Children’s life, as well as adults, is also bound with them by playful activities. This report
aims to analyze children’s learning aspects on these three streams. It stresses on
developing content knowledge on these three streams among children by evaluating suitable
teaching methods for them. For this purpose, this report has considered different books,
scholarly journals, suggested readings in the course and other websites.
Mathematics
Mathematics helps to support critical thinking and expression of children and their
reflections through drawings and other creative aspects. As per the curriculum of New
Zealand, mathematics is defined as “exploration and use of patterns and it is also a
relationship in quantities, space and time” (MoE, 2007).
Knowledge of content
Earlier, children used to learn mathematics by playful activities. According to the New
Zealand curriculum, different mathematical concepts, such as geometry, statistics,
measurements, and algebra should be taught to children by play and creative activities
(MoE, 2007). Undoubtedly, I support that statistics and mathematics allows creative and
logical thinking in children. By this, they gain analytical skills that they could implement
strategically and critically.
Algebra and numeric
Number system and algebra includes grouping, calculations, counting, fractioning,
strategy forming, pattern, and shape and measure representations. Usually, young children
get involved in these areas by playful activities. For example, while they get involved in
pretend play, then they say, “‘one piece of cake for me, one for you and one for you”. Thus,
they learn numbers and counting, which includes equal distribution strategies. It also
represents their numeric knowledge and skills (MoE, 2007).
Measurements and geometrical knowledge
Measurement and geometry consists of estimation of angle, length, area, volume,
weight and time. This stream also includes calculation of changing rates and predicting them
accordingly. As an example, young children often measure their heights with each other and
say, “I am taller than you” or estimate their weights and distances in playful activities “my
jump was longer than yours” (MoE, 2007).
Knowledge of Statistics
Statistics involves problem recognition by exploring and investigating data trends and
interrelations using appropriate data. Children in playful activities often say this “‘I got five
red blocks, three blue blocks and four green blocks”. It indicates that children could learn
mathematics and tough content knowledge by easy playful activities (MoE, 2007).
Strategies for successful teaching
A proper teaching strategy could help in children’s learning activities in various
streams. Children show various dispositions that influence their learning urge. For example,
children like to climb, carpentry, make buildings with blocks, involve in creative activities,
playful cooking and others. All of these activities include strong mathematical skills within
them. MacDonald (2015) stated that theories and mathematical problems that appear from
real-time situations in life are called mathematization and allow children to problem-solve with
mathematical concepts. For instance, during tea-time in the morning, teacher could ask
children that everyone will receive one slice of apple, two banana-slices. So altogether, each
of them will get how many slices?
It will help to answer 2+1=?
Thus, through these real-life situations, teachers could influence students in learning
math’s.
Another author, Mannigel (1992) demonstrated a marvelous strategy for children to
learn. Author stated, teachers could listen to children’s discussions on their disposition and
interest very attentively and then could ask them open-ended questions, which will be
interesting. By this, children will be free to express their logic and thoughts for the factor. For
instance, if a child makes a cake and shows it to the teacher, then the teacher can ask
questions to the child to increase his/her interest in it. Teacher can ask about the baking
process, the spoonful of sugars added, the number of cues milk added or the number of eggs
added in the cake making. Notably, teachers have to give enough time to the child to give
answers, which can support children in their learning. According to TeWhariki (2017),
children always tend to explore relations in spaces, data, and quantities and express those
relationships to develop a sense of the surrounding world.
Science
As per the New Zealand curriculum, science is the way of understanding, describing
and discovering the physical and natural world with the universe (MoE, 2007). It includes
various observations, evidence-gathering activities, experiments, discoveries and pepper
research.
Conclusion
Children develop new ideas and knowledge by actively participating within learning
activities. This assessment has considered key three learning areas that give new
opportunities for children so that they can learn about this world. To conclude, the report
demonstrated the three basic learning areas in children’s life. It also represented all
associated ideas of teaching mathematics, science and technology by understanding their
content knowledge. Finally, it represented various experiences with children in their daily
playful activities. Therefore, this is the major responsibility of teachers to offer extraordinary
learning experiences to children by taking different innovative approaches, which will make
their learning sessions more interesting. This will help children to gain more knowledge in
these areas and become successful and responsible human being in life. Hence, it can be
concluded that teachers plays a crucial role in children’s learning journey and with their
extraordinary teaching process, they can enhance curiosity level of kids.
