Myths of Early Math

Abstract

Myths about early education abound. Many beliefs people hold about early math have a grain of truth in them, but as a whole are not true—they are largely myths. But the myths persist, and many harm children. In this article, we address ubiquitous math myths that may be negatively affecting many young students. We conclude that avoiding the myths and listening to the findings of research and the wisdom of expert practice will serve both teachers and children well.

Keywords

• at-risk students
• classroom research
• concrete manipulatives
• early childhood
• kindergarten
• learning trajectories
• literacy
• mathematics
• pedagogy
• primary
• play
• preschool
• social-emotional
• teaching