{"id":4071,"date":"2016-02-29T12:57:02","date_gmt":"2016-02-29T20:57:02","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.familymathnight.com\/blog\/?p=4071"},"modified":"2016-02-29T12:57:02","modified_gmt":"2016-02-29T20:57:02","slug":"pattern-and-the-common-core-state-standards-in-mathematics","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.familymathnight.com\/blog\/?p=4071","title":{"rendered":"Pattern and the Common Core State Standards in Mathematics"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Mathematics is often described as the science of pattern. \u00a0Through looking for, reasoning about, and describing numeric and geometric patterns, students come to realize that mathematics reflects order and predictability. \u00a0This is a significant discovery because students who understand the power of patterns in math are more confident in their ability to do math.\u00a0 So when the Common Core State Standards first came out and I didn’t see a whole lot about pattern and patterning activities in the early years, I wondered why.<\/p>\n

And I’ve been wondering why until recently when I\u00a0read a fabulous article<\/a> about teaching math. \u00a0The article was an interview with\u00a0Bethany Rittle-Johnson, a professor of psychology and human development at Vanderbilt University in Tennessee. \u00a0Her studies focus on early math and the importance of teaching young children about patterns. \u00a0Here’s what she said about why pattern was not included in the standards:<\/p>\n

“Patterns were mostly left out of the Common Core Math Standards in the early grades (kindergarten and 1st grade) due to a lack of evidence that they helped children understand later math concepts.”<\/p>\n

But then she goes on to say that a lot of research since then proves that pattern should actually be included. \u00a0I agree. \u00a0In fact, I would argue that there had already been a lot of research underscoring the importance of teaching pattern in the early years yet for some reason, it was ignored.<\/p>\n

Here’s why I think teaching pattern in those early years is important:<\/p>\n