Mathematics in the Making: Authoring Ideas in Primary Classrooms

Mathematics education has had a long history of focusing too much time on skills and not enough time on concepts and strategies. If we are to help our students become mathematically literate, we must be guided by more global concepts - concepts that portray mathematics as a way of thinking.

Mathematics in the Making demonstrates how you can help children become respected authors of their own mathematical ideas by emphasizing mathematics as a way of thinking. Mills, O'Keefe, and Whitin use the term "author" because it conveys the active, constructive, and exploratory role that children must assume if they are to become empowered mathematical thinkers. They draw comparisons with the authoring cycle and show how they supported primary students as these children revised, collaborated, and made personal connections to mathematical situations.

Readers will find descriptions of a range of mathematical experiences, such as measuring with standard and nonstandard units, reading children's literature to reinforce concepts, writing about mathematics, and yearlong investigations. The book comes alive with numerous examples of children's writing, drawing, and exploratory conversations. There are practical suggestions on how to start the year, establish certain mathematical rituals, work with parents, and meet district goals in a responsive way. The book distinguishes among concepts, strategies, and skills to highlight what really matters in mathematics, closing with a model for evaluation that respects children as sense makers and risk takers.

Heidi Mills is assistant professor of elementary education at the University of South Carolina. She has worked with teachers in the Grand Rapids, Michigan, public schools to develop a whole language curriculum for the Child Development Center.

David J. Whitin is a Professor of Elementary Education at Wayne State University, where he teaches courses in mathematics education and elementary school curriculum. David has been an elementary school principal and teacher. David has a Baccalaureate degree from Princeton University, a master's degree from Boston University, an M.A.T. from the University of New Hampshire, and a doctorate in elementary education from Indiana University. David's presentations are lively and interactive. He involves teachers themselves in a variety of experiences so that they have the opportunity to reflect on their own learning. He shares numerous samples of children's work to demonstrate how teachers have enacted these beliefs about learning in creative ways. He has frequently spoken for such groups as NCTE, NCTM, IRA and many groups nationally and internationally.