Barbara Schindelhauer

All children love and want to learn the language of maths! It is crucial they build a solid bridge of a thorough conceptual understanding of numbers before they enter formal tuition.

If we take their perspective, consequently and 100% consider how they see the world, what they need and like, then we turn learning that basic understanding into a joyful experience, sparking children and unburdening teachers!

Let's' visit Numberland by Dr. Gerhard Friedrich started as an acclaimed research project (peer reviewed) in Germany back in 2004 and has become an international success. It is a simple idea, a co-constructive and holistic approach, no fancy resources required or a strict programme:

We just pretend that numbers have a home, like we all do ... We visit these numbers, explore and build their homes together. Thus, we create gardens full of maths - with neighbours, houses, geometrically shaped gardens, flower beds, ... and so much to do and talk about that the synergy of cross-curricular effects is massive.

So with a simple idea, we bring relevant maths into a context that means something to children and matters to them. Let's visit Numberland helps children (and teachers) to gradually build the bridge from their inborn understanding to the formal language of maths. It paves the way, lays the basic structure and helps organise and structure all maths experiences to come.

It is my joy and mission to make this wonderful holistic concept available to teachers and children around the world - with pragmatic ideas, trainings, as a conference speaker.

I have been witnessing the tremendous positive effect of a specific holistic concept on  children, no matter their socio-economic background, culture or country. Starting with my own two children (then 3 and 4yo :-)

Currently, projects are running in community schools in Zambia and with indigenous people in Malaysia.