Montessori Math: The Number Rods

I can't believe it's taken me this long to talk about Montessori Math. The materials in this area are the definition of concrete, hands-on learning or as Dr. Montessori called them, 'systems of materialized abstraction.' Let's start with one of the early Math materials, the Number Rods.

But first - there is a lot of indirect preparation that happens before a child works with the Math materials. There's one-to-one correspondence and logical problem solving through Practical Life activities and sorting and comparing with Sensorial materials. And learning the names of numbers is a Language skill!

The Number Rods are an excellent example of using concrete materials to explore abstract concepts and utilize movement to stimulate the brain. Here you see the rods on a rug far away, and the child must carry them from one rug to the other and put them in order.

The rods introduce the child to quantity in linear proportion. The alternating red and blue sections provide a visual pattern for a child to count as the rods increase in length. Numerals aren't used in the first presentations of this work but after separate practice with the Sandpaper Numerals, numbers can be added to join the two concepts of numerals and quantity.

So often I hear parents say "I wish I had learned Math this way, what a difference that could have made." I'll admit I was intimidated by Montessori Math because it was so completely different from my understanding and experiences with Math. But like many things in Montessori, it just makes sense when you break it down.