Introduction to Mathematics

Children can learn math in two ways—by using hands-on materials when they’re young, or by learning abstractly (just using numbers and symbols) when they’re older.

Dr. Maria Montessori discovered that when young children are given the chance to explore math through physical materials, they enjoy it and learn easily. If the same concepts are taught later without materials, they can take much longer to understand and often involve memorization and repetition.

In a Montessori classroom, children first feel and hold the quantities of 1, 10, 100, and 1000 with special materials. Only after this hands-on experience do they learn the number symbols that represent those quantities.

As they become confident with numbers 1 to 10, we introduce the decimal system—starting with real quantities before showing the symbols. This helps them understand deeply, rather than just memorizing. Children discover math ideas for themselves, which builds real excitement and interest in numbers.

Basic math operations—addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division—are also taught using hands-on tools. Children move and work with real objects to solve problems, helping them understand what the numbers really mean. As they grow, they slowly move from using materials to working with numbers in their minds.