= - The meaning behind the sign

One of the important elements of the scope and sequence is the intention to correct students' understanding of the equals sign, or hopefully even prevent the need for correction in the first place. For many children, the equals sign is mistakenly perceived as a directive to perform an operation, commonly interpreted as "add it up." This misunderstanding becomes evident when students encounter equations such as 5 + ? = 7. In these instances, many students mistakenly add five and seven, as they have been conditioned to see the equals sign mainly in its typical position—preceding the final result of an operation.

The Equals Sign: A Relational Symbol

What these students often miss is that the equals sign is fundamentally a symbol of balance and equivalence. It serves as a relational symbol, indicating that the quantities on either side of it are the same, or "equal." This concept is not being explicitly taught, leading children to fill in the gaps with the simplest interpretation: performing an operation.

Mathematics is fundamentally about understanding relationships. From the very beginning, children need ample opportunities to explore the relationships between quantities. This exploration should be supported with materials, images, and the use of procedures. Understanding the equals sign is crucial in this process, as it sets the foundation for more complex mathematical concepts later on.

Equality and Mathematical Relationships

The equals sign in an equation signifies a relationship of equality and balance. This understanding is foundational and integral to grasping more advanced mathematical concepts. When students comprehend this, they can also understand the relationship between the equals sign and other mathematical symbols like the less than and greater than signs.

In efforts to simplify learning, many educators resort to gimmicks, such as portraying the less than and greater than signs as "crocodile mouths." While these methods may seem helpful, they often lead to further confusion. Explicit teaching of these concepts is far more effective than relying on such gimmicks. When in doubt, clear and direct instruction is the best approach. Just tell them!

It wasn't until I wrote the scope and sequence five years ago that I truly began to reflect on the meaning of "equal." Over time, I've come to realise just how critical this foundational understanding is.

Last year, I introduced my Year 1 and 2 class to vertical algorithms. This method wasn't initially part of the scope and sequence, but it seemed a natural progression from our work on expanding larger numbers. It dawned on me then about the importance of the "equals line," reinforcing the relational aspect of equations—a simple yet often overlooked piece of knowledge.

In my current Year 1 and 2 class, most students initially perceived the equals sign as "add it up." This clearly indicates the necessity of addressing this misconception even earlier on.

By reinforcing the relational meaning of the equals sign, we can provide students with a more solid foundation in mathematics, preparing them for future learning and understanding.

By the end of last week, they were showing a great growing understanding, showing the relationship between the numerals we write and the Woodin patterns we learn.

I love this little guy when we are exploring equality, his mouth moves to show the relationship between amounts, I think this has been my best buy in many years!

Epidemic Alert - We are building a system that is just making things worse!

Addressing the Educational Epidemic

Recognising the Crisis - We are at tipping point

We are facing a significant educational epidemic that has been quietly developing over many years. Over a decade ago, when we first embraced play-based learning, we began to notice alarming declines in oral language skills among children entering school. Initially, it was just a few children; now, it affects more than half of a class.

Worsening Symptoms

This epidemic extends beyond oral language. Over time, we have witnessed a decline in social and emotional skills, and more recently, in motor skills—both fine and gross. Shockingly, children who arrive with movement skills, good social and emotional abilities, and a keen interest in learning, are now considered advanced. This was once the norm.

The Tipping Point

We have reached a critical tipping point. At least half of new entrants are unable to form sentences, lack social skills and emotional understanding, and struggle with basic motor skills like hopping, skipping, crawling, running, and jumping. Many children lack the hand strength to hold a pencil or open a container, and they often struggle with sitting due to poor abdominal strength.

Cry for Action

Despite advocacy on this issue by play based experts and those that understand the brain (myself included), it has only recently gained more prominent attention, but will those in power listen? 

Our children, chronologically five years old, are developmentally equivalent to 2.5 to 3-year-olds. The pervasive use of devices exacerbates these issues, impacting attention span, eyesight, and overall development. If a parent gave a child drugs, society would be outraged. Yet, allowing children hours on devices seems acceptable.

Misguided Government Policies

Regrettably, the government believes it is excelling at the basics by implementing structured literacy and math, allocating an hour a day to these subjects, and enforcing poorly conceived standardised tests. These measures ignore the fundamental problem.

Imagine assessing phonics after 20 weeks for a child who cannot form sentences, recognise letters in their name, or perform basic movements. Instead of spending money on ineffective overseas assessments and solutions, we must address the root issue.

The current mindset assumes that expecting more from children who are capable of less will solve everything. It won't. We need to eliminate politically driven initiatives and focus on implementing the actual basics brilliantly.

A Call to Action

1. Prioritise Movement: Recognise that movement is crucial for brain development. Children are more sedentary than ever, fixated on screens rather than running, climbing, jumping, and rolling. Ensure that new entrant classes embrace play for at least six months, if not the entire first year. Ensure that classes in the second and third year or school, also embrace an understanding of play and implement play alongside explicit teaching.

2. Eliminate Devices: Remove devices from all junior classrooms. Ensure that device use from Year 4 up has a clear purpose and is limited.

3. Invest in People: Our junior rooms require a 1:10 ratio, some as low as 1:5. Invest in teacher aides, relationships, and connections to prepare children's brains for academic learning.

4. Enhance Outdoor Spaces: Invest in areas that encourage movement. Movement skills are vital for preparing the brain for learning.

5. Support Developmental Engagement: Allow teachers time to engage with students developmentally and understand how to best work with them.

6. Rethink Assessments: Conduct phonics and number checks after two years at school.

7. Rethink Standardised Testing: If standardised tests are necessary, implement them at Year 5 and 6, not from Year 3 and make sure the information gained from them is worth the hassle of conducting them.

8. Support Junior Teachers: Understand the challenges faced by junior teachers and provide the support they need.

9. Educate whānau: Help families see how destructive devices are. Fund initiatives like ‘reading together’ however focus these on the importance of movement, play and the power of reading to and talking with children.

Aligning Realities

The reality in our schools must become the government's reality. Understanding the challenges we face and implementing strategies that genuinely help is crucial. Current policies often hinder our ability to perform effectively. Let us start by aligning our priorities with the real basics for genuine educational improvement.