Pre-primary school teachers’ approaches to mathematics education in Finland

Authors

• Camilla Björklund University of Gothenburg, Sweden

Keywords:

Finland, mathematics, teaching, pre-primary education

Abstract

The purpose of this small-scale study is to examine Finnish pre-primary teachers’ approaches to mathematics education. Qualitative analyses from six indepth interviews reveal different strategies and goals. The teachers describe themselves as the facilitating participant, express that mathematics should be framed in playful settings, and assume that it is to be learnt indirectly. The study discerns different pedagogical goals for mathematics education, such as working on counting procedures, preparing for the next school level, building for a better future, and teaching for mathematical literacy. These constitute the teachers’ pedagogical approaches to early mathematics education. Context is experienced as influencing their practice, together with an overall aim to foster a positive attitude towards mathematics. This is discussed in relation to the teachers’