A Child as a Researcher in the World of Mathematics

Abstract

Modern trends mathematical education of the youngest school children emphasise cognitive activity as the necessary condition for proper development of mathematical competences. In this context, learning mathematics should be understood as a formation process of the individual’s own mental structures. Teaching through exploration is a practice naturally tied to mathematical education defined in such way.The article presents the problem of organised mathematical exploration done by students in the early childhood education. It aims at giving arguments supporting the idea that despite their intellectual immaturity, children are still able to perform exploration activities, during which they show behaviours similar to those that are usually associated with professional mathematicians. The paper outlines the origins of the concept of teaching through exploration and touches on ideas of children’s mathematical exploration activity, as well as the cognitive processes in motion during learning though exploration.