مریم قربانیان

Abstract:

The overall aim of the present study is to investigate the level of alignment of the Montessori approach with regard to the policy documents of Iranian mathematics education in the formation of mathematical concepts and skills in childhood. In this research, childhood means preschool and the early grades in lower elementary school. The current research is a qualitative research that has been done with the comparative analysis method. Thus, the first step was to explore mathematical concepts and skills in the policy documents of Iranian mathematics education, including the curriculum guide for the field of mathematics learning as well as the guide document for the program and educational activities of the preschool period. Then, while analyzing the Montessori approach, the manipulative tools and educational activities that are introduced to children during this period were analyzed and reviewed so that the purpose of them becomes clear and it is determined which one meets the expectations of Iran's policy documents. This analysis and comparison were done bilaterally between Iran's educational documents and the Montessori approach. The results of the analysis indicate that hands-on material and activities of Practical Life and Sensorial areas in the Montessori method in the age group of ۳-۶ years can cover all the expectations of the preschool period in Iran. It was also clarified that educational tools and activities in the Montessori age group of ۶-۹ years are able to meet the educational documents of the first elementary school in teaching mathematical concepts and skills. This comparative analysis has had i  irations for each side of the comparison. For example, it seems necessary that the Montessori approach considers the development of spatial concepts at the ages of ۳-۶ years. In contrast, it seems that paying attention to the importance of finding patterns, developing mathematical vocabulary, learning the time, numerical and counting skills, learning number symbols, simple addition and subtraction operations, basic facts, and the prerequisite skills of understanding the concept of fraction in preschool grade, from the policy documents of Iranian mathematics education, are necessary. On the other hand, based on previous studies and international curricula, it is desirable to include the teaching of probability knowledge in the Montessori curriculum of ۶-۹ years and it is necessary to provide sufficient opportunities for children to create knowledge in the Montessori method before introducing the protractor to measure the angle in order to prepare a robust knowledge about all kinds of angles in fixed and rotating positions, as well as angle measurement with non-standard tools. Also, it is felt that it is necessary to review education policymakers regarding the use of calculators in the lower elementary schools in Iran.