Use Hands-on Activities to Model Concepts
The extent and quality of students' learning is largely determined by what kinds of experiences a teacher provides in the classroom. A teacher should use hands-on activities to model concepts in geometry and measurement and to help students better understand the mathematics. Children grow to understand concepts when they have first experienced concepts on a concrete level. Manipulatives bring a range of senses into play. Students' long-term use of concrete instructional materials, at both the primary and secondary grade levels, supports achievement in mathematics.
However, using concrete materials and manipulatives also requires that a teacher frequently intervenes to help students connect the materials with the mathematics. By presenting an activity with various components (using manipulatives and technology to formalize the concept), a teacher addresses an array of learning styles and provides additional time for students to process a concept.
For a further discussion of these issues, visit the Concrete Representations topic in the Cognitive Development Issues section.
