Play with Math using Rods and Gattegno!!!

Just a quick note about the wonderful method of exploring and internalising Mathematics that we recently found. I encourage you to investigate it for yourself. It was pioneered by Caleb Gattegno and uses Cuisenaire rods. I can't describe the experience, but I have done mathematics to the graduate level and taught it to the college level, and trust me, there is a lot that I do not understand. So much of mathematics seems to be the following of rules that you just don't 'get'. At my ripe old age, I'm just understanding what they meant when i was 'carrying the 1' in subtraction! So, as a homeschooler, I really want my kids to 'get'.

Gattegno's method helps the children to become familiar with mathematics in a very intuitive and visual way. More details on his methods later, maybe, but take a look at Simonne and Zachary exploring concepts that are become second nature (instead of rote learning math facts). So here is Simonne looking at all the ways to make rods of length 11 units. I think she was more excited about building the wall! She then wrote out that O+W = Bl + R and so on, also becoming familiar with algebraic notation.

Here is Zach building a ladder, which is just him becoming familiar with the order of the rods when there is only a difference of one unit. The visual piece is so important and leads to such wonderful realizations later on. They start to 'see' the mathematics.

Of course, we don't only have to build walls and ladders!!!

I'm excited about this because I've found the method to teach Jaedon math, when he is ready for it. I have heard that this works so well with special needs kids, who may not get the 'rules' of mathematics, but just start to 'see it'. Whatever you do, keep looking for methods and approaches that are right for your kids. If they aren't out there, you can create one!