Learning to count 1, 2, 3, 4, etc., parrotlike, does very little good.
Rather let the child count _objects_ and point out 5 marbles, 6 blocks,
etc., in order that you may determine if he knows exactly what 5 or 6 of
anything means.
Take a number of blocks or marbles and ask the child to take 3, 5, 7, or
any number of them.
Hold up 3, 5, or 6 of them and ask him to tell how many you have. When
you are told the _number_ you have, write the _figure_ which tells the
number on paper, or the blackboard. Have the child copy the figure,
making a large character.
Then reverse the work by writing a _figure_ on paper and asking the
child to take the _number of blocks_ the writing asks for.
Spend a few minutes every day in asking him to show you 2 pins, 3
houses, 5 stripes, etc.
Teach the child to count 50 as soon as he has started in his number work
at school and later on to 100. _Objects_ should be counted at first and
then counters substituted, such as pennies, marbles, blocks, beads, etc.
RECOGNITION OF NUMBERS.--The purpose of _counting objects_ is to give
the children a clear idea of _number_. They should be able to recognize
2, 3, 4 and 5, _i.e._, be able to tell four objects when they see four,
without counting them, also 3, 5, etc. Stories and games with objects
should be repeated again and again, until the children can do this
easily.
ANALYSIS OF NUMBERS.--When the numbers can be recognized without
difficulty, the children should be encouraged to analyze them, _i.e._,
tell what they are made up of, but objects should be put in front of the
class to represent the numbers until they can do this readily.
Suppose the number _five_ to be the lesson, each child would take five
shells out of its box, and lay them on the desk, thus:--[.....] or
[.....] or [.....] etc. The child should always be able to _describe_
what it has done: thus, the first child would say--_four shells_ and
_one shell_ are _five_; the second, _three shells_ and _two shells_ are
_five_, and so on.
_Higher Numbers._--The analysis of six, seven, eight and nine may be
taught in the same way, each number being taken separately and
thoroughly mastered, before proceeding to the next. The children should
learn all the different combinations of numbers that make six--_three_
and _three_, _five_ and _one_, _four_ and _two_, _three twos_, etc.--but
always with the objects, and when they have seen the number analyzed by
the Teacher, they should do it for themselves with shells, bricks or
other objects.
_Number Ten._--This is the most important number of all, and it should
be thoroughly well taught. The Teacher should show on the table the
different analyses that can be made of ten, and the children should lay
these with shells or other objects again and again. It is necessary to
learn these perfectly, for however well any or all of the numbers may be
learned, they are comparatively useless without ten.
FIGURES.--When the figures are introduced they should invariably be
shown with the concrete numbers which each figure represents. They say,
“Here are four balls” : : “I will show you a figure that means those
four balls, =4=, and I will put the four balls beside it, thus:”--4 : :.
NUMBER ON PAPER OR SLATES.--If the children have learned how to use a
pencil, they may transfer the number-pictures made with shells to their
slates, using dots for “shells,” thus:--: : :.
Then another “picture” may be made with the shells : : : and this be
copied on the paper at some distance from the other. Then another is
made and copied, and so on until the child sees on his paper all the
combinations of numbers that go to make six. He should be able to read
them all out, and because a child remembers what he has done himself,
it will be found that numbers taught in this way are seldom forgotten.
As the children become more proficient, the two signs + and = may be
taught, + means _and_, = means _are_. Then they may put on their slates
: + : = : : and use these signs in the analysis of other numbers.