Sandra Candelas

Child Dev- 143

Professor: Hunter

The Importance of Math and Science for Kindergarteners

During the preschool years, children are introduced to basic concepts of both math and
science. This introduction is done informally and moves towards formality in the upper grades.
On the other hand, kindergarten is still at an introduction phase where children are encouraged to
use scientific inquiry involving observation, hypothesis, recording of data and discussing
outcomes with whole groups. Overall, everyone sees and uses science everyday. The scientific
method is basically coming up with a question, experimenting and drawing on conclusions.
People use this type of reasoning in a lot of things that they need to think or resolve critically,
even if they do not involve experiments, labs and the use of chemicals. To expose children to a
scientific inquiry approach, develops problem solving skills that further translate into creative
thinking. Math, on the other hand, is a standardized numeral system used universally. It is a type
of communication used to understand one another, and to start exposing children to math
concepts is important. Children need consistent, repeated experiences to be able to acquire
concepts. When children hear formal science and math language, they begin applying language
and further understanding of concepts, which in turn prepares them for the upper school grades.
By the time children finish kindergarten they will be more equipped and prepared for upper
grade formal instruction where the requirement of scientific names and mathematical language is
a must.
Young children have a great potential for learning and grasping meaningful concepts.
According to Santrock (2013), Neuroscientists have found that increases in memory and learning
in young children are related to growth in synaptic and myelination processes in the brain.
Furthermore, neuroscientists argue that the density of synaptic growth peaks at the age of four.
These aspects of the brains maturation, combined with opportunities to experience a widening
world, contribute to childrens emerging cognitive abilities (Santrock, 2013, p. 239). Therefore,
it is important to incorporate math and science in the early childhood classroom because children
at this age have a great capacity to learn and retain information. There is always that old saying,
You cant make an old dog learn new tricks.
Finally, when children are exposed to meaningful lessons, materials and sensitive
teachers, they can go a long way. This will further prepare them for the upper primary grades
where formality is more of the discipline, and children will be able to look back and expend
concepts with the help of knowledgeable, sensitive, teachers.







References
Santrock, J. W. (2013). Children. New York: McGraw-Hill .