Books and websites about manipulatives in mathematics?

  • Context: Foundations 
  • Thread starter Thread starter robertphy
  • Start date Start date
  • Tags Tags
    Mathemathics Teaching
Click For Summary

Discussion Overview

The discussion centers around resources related to manipulatives in mathematics education, particularly for secondary schools. Participants explore the usefulness of manipulatives in teaching various mathematical concepts and share specific examples and resources.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Conceptual clarification, Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • One participant expresses a belief in the usefulness of manipulatives for teaching mathematics.
  • Another participant questions the definition of "manipulative."
  • Several participants mention Cuisinaire rods as an example of manipulatives, noting their utility in teaching arithmetic operations.
  • A participant references a resource from The Math Institute that applies Montessori principles to secondary-level math.
  • One participant shares a personal anecdote about using visual aids to understand mathematical concepts, specifically the sum of the first n odd numbers.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants do not reach a consensus on specific resources or methods, and multiple viewpoints regarding the definition and application of manipulatives are present.

Contextual Notes

Some participants express uncertainty about the applicability of certain manipulatives in higher grades and the effectiveness of different teaching methods.

robertphy
Messages
15
Reaction score
5
Do you know about books and websites about manipulatives in mathematics teaching for secondary schools?
I think manipulatives are incredibly useful in teaching Mathematics.

Thank you for your support.
 
Physics news on Phys.org
Never heard of that method
 
  • Like
Likes   Reactions: vanhees71
What is a manipulative?
 
  • Like
Likes   Reactions: jtbell
I believe Cuisinaire rods (see https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000F8R5N2/?tag=pfamazon01-20) fall into the category of mathematics manipulatives. They're very useful IMO for teaching such arithmetic operations as multiplication and division and working with fractional amounts.

They're mostly used in the primary grades. I don't know of anything of this nature that is used in the higher grades.
 
I've never seen those rods before (elementary school in the 1960s). Though I do remember staring at a floor tiled with small square tiles, and "seeing why" the sum of the first n odd numbers is n^2.
 
  • Like
Likes   Reactions: mathwonk, vanhees71 and Demystifier
And thanks to your mental picture, I see why it is also equivalent to the algebraic formula (n+1)^2 - n^2 = 2n+1, which also proves it by induction. cool.
 
  • Like
Likes   Reactions: Demystifier and gmax137

Similar threads

  • · Replies 5 ·
Replies
5
Views
5K
  • · Replies 10 ·
Replies
10
Views
3K
  • · Replies 4 ·
Replies
4
Views
8K
  • · Replies 6 ·
Replies
6
Views
2K
  • · Replies 18 ·
Replies
18
Views
5K
  • · Replies 15 ·
Replies
15
Views
6K
  • · Replies 6 ·
Replies
6
Views
3K
Replies
7
Views
866
  • · Replies 8 ·
Replies
8
Views
807
  • Poll Poll
  • · Replies 18 ·
Replies
18
Views
4K