Abstract:
For the last seven years, a research project focused on one North American Grade 2 teacher's efforts to develop young children's early mathematical concepts has given rise to a new paradigm for teaching and learning. By creating a classroom environment that promotes (1) reflexive psycho-pedagogical relationships and, (2) a systems-theory approach to learning, the teacher's pedagogy and children's engagement with learning have been continually refined through the SEARCH metaphor (Geoghegan, 2002). Being less to do with "didactic teaching" and more to do with "self-regulated learning," the research project has sought to highlight children's capacity to confidently generate creative propositions as one of the significant constituent elements of effective mathematics teaching and learning. Incorporating post- modern and systems-theory perspectives, this paper will discuss and demonstrate how the reflexive nature of self-regulation engages children in creative and productive mathematical thinking from a young age.