New Perspectives in Science Education

Although in many cases mathematics is considered a rigid discipline, in reality there are many ways to achieve the same result and for this reason teaching mathematics can be implemented through various approaches to assist individual child predispositions, two of these methods worth mentioning are Steinerian and Montessorian methods. Field research shows that children benefit greatly from the use of Montessorian materials for mathematics as well as from Steiner's rhythms which prove that integration with the traditional method not only increases the skills and knowledge of children but also their appreciation for maths and sciences in general, for both main stream children and children with specific needs. Even some artistic representations harmoniously display some examples of mathematical problems: such as Escher’s painting of the tiles at the Alhambra, Gaudi's magic squares and Munari’s machines.

During the presentation, we will see practical activities along with the results of field research by the Primary School classes that have combined these methods with the more traditional ones.