For the 2015/16 academic year, Do Good Jamaica included a Crayons Count Math Workbook in the Crayons Count Learning Kits.  Copies were provided to each school and can be downloaded for free here.  This math workbook was made possible by a grant from the American Friends of Jamaica to develop and print the materials, with content specially created and made available by Jackmandora/Kellie Magnus and printed at concessionary rates by The Gleaner.

Alpha Infant School Visit (January 26, 2016)

At a school visit, it was amazing to watch the many ways that the workbook was used.

The classroom of five year olds used the workbook during free play – colouring, identifying numbers, counting objects and making up stories about what they were colouring and counting.  Activities encouraged the building of math skills and also fine motor skills (to colour within the lines), imagination and creativity (using whatever colours they wanted and making up stories).  Children enjoyed identifying the numbers and counting the objects in a game.  We didn’t even get to the story that was printed on the page – that’s for another day of fun activities.

The classroom of four year olds used the workbook in a guided activity by their teacher who took them through all instructions to count, colour, compare (more, less, fewer, taller, shorter etc).  Children learned the concepts while building fine motor skills (colouring, drawing by numbers, circling the correct words) and learning how to follow instructions.  It was also very encouraging to watch the teacher incorporate other curriculum themes and concepts, such as spelling and learning about plants.  The teacher reinforced the correct answers with stickers to the forehead which the children found to be most amusing. And since everybody wanted stickers, those who didn’t get it right the first time were encouraged to keep trying.

For more photos of the visit, see our Facebook album here.

Alpha Infant Written Feedback (January 23, 2016)

When we asked the school for feedback on the usefulness of the Crayons Count Math Workbook, here is the full text of the response provided:

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Miss Morrison,

Alpha Infant School’s Family would like to thank you for the experience from using the valuable resources provide for our students.

The Crayons Count Math Workbook is a wonderful tool. Although it was a single compilation  of Math activities we pulled out sections that were age appropriate for our Classes One students (four (4) year olds) and used the remaining activities for our Classes Two students (Five (5) year olds). The  paper provided a means of reinforcement of lessons and group work, whether for enjoyment during Free  Play or Early Work activities in the mornings.

First, thank you for teaching math not isolated but giving our age group a valuable lesson of Math being applicable in everyday life. Hence the cover of this issue depicting Children holding hands around the world truly integrated with the Class Two Ministry of Education Curriculum as they also do different countries etc. As it relates to Math the concepts of shape- the world is round, size big/little , counting- Fifteen children, ratio, number of boys- Seven (7)to the number of girls – Eight(8). I could go on an on. Thank you.

Classes One Four Year Olds

Page 5, 6, 15 and 16 was pulled out as a single sheet to be used by this age group. Fun With numbers  provided a fun way of learning man not just numerally but the picture provided  early stimulation as it related to picture discussion, use of language and counting. It even address aspect of the Curriculum being done now, Plants.

Classes Two Five Year Olds

The rest of the paper was given to Classes Two who found it to be more than just a tool for Math but created a concept that Reading, especially their own paper. They like their Children’s Own .

We especially like the concept of the money page, the faces helped to reinforced our National Heroes.

We could spend the whole year praising the benefits of this awesome work. We say Thank you and we would like to commend you for making it available online. Our parents are learning about the reverse classroom and your instructions helped them too to help their children. Keep up the great work and may God bless you.

Nicolette McDonnough-Foster principal, parents and staff

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