In my previous post, I shared my personal experience with playing with mathematics as a child. That reflection prompted some digging about when we as humans begin to think mathematically, and I found something fascinating:

Experimental research shows that infants as young as 6 months have the ability to:

• recognize the approximate difference between two numbers
• keep precise track of small numbers, and
• do simple subtraction and addition problems.

And when babies are mathematizing like this, they activate the same parts of the brain that are associated with mathematical thinking and reasoning in adults (I told you this was fascinating). So, before we can even speak, we have the ability to quantify. Our inherent curiosity and ability to think and even reason mathematically is on display here.

The idea that teaching and learning mathematics isn’t just computation, that it involves sense-making through reasoning, is research-based and builds on the natural curiosity, and the mathematical ideas and abilities we possess at a very young age. 

Mathematics helps us make sense of and explain the world around us. It is the science that deals with the logic of shape, quantity, and patterns. Mathematics is a subject created based on the need to solve problems and, in my opinion, should be taught that way. It’s a beautiful, creative, and fascinating subject with applications in every field: teaching, economics, engineering, biology, chemistry, physics, entertainment, shipping, food service, geography, geology, technology, real-estate, and politics, to name just a few.

The common myth is that mathematics = computation. While computation is embedded within mathematics, it is really a very small part of a greater whole. The strong, flexible core of mathematics is all about reasoning and sense-making. The “computation part” of mathematics can be taught with this strong, flexible core in order to make sure that the computation students learn makes sense so that it can be applied to solve problems in the real world. 

Ultimately, mathematics is about sense-making. The mathematics we use today to solve problems was developed by creative thinkers who asked questions like. “What if…?” “Maybe we could try…?” and “I wonder what would happen…?”  This creative thinking is still happening today to solve problems like coastal erosion from tropical storms. You, your students, or your children can be one of these creative thinkers that uses mathematics and mathematical modeling to solve some of the world’s biggest problems. Let’s keep students thinking about mathematics as much as possible!