Revisiting Early Childhood Mathematics Education: a contribution to the White Book of Mathematics

Abstract

Early Childhood Mathematics Education in Spain is revisited to contribute to the discussion that the White Book on Mathematics wants to promote to improve the situation of mathematics in Spain. With this purpose, first, research in early childhood mathematics in Spain is reviewed (Where do we come from? Where are we? Where are we going?). Second, based on these data, five pillars of Early Childhood Mathematics Education are developed, which are organized into three dimensions according to the purposes of teaching mathematics in Early Childhood Education (What is it taught for? and Why is it taught?), teaching practices (How is it taught?) and the organization of teaching (When is it taught? and What is taught?). It is concluded that these contributions complement the content of the White Book on Mathematics regarding the teaching of mathematics from birth and, at the same time, promote the discussion on the role that early childhood mathematics should have to improve the situation of mathematics in Spain.