Räkna med textil

This study presents a project that has been carried out in a second grade classroom.The aim of the project is to develop children’s way of learning through workingwith textile where practice will be interwoven with theoretical understanding. Thepurpose is to study if we by combining textile and mathematics can stimulate children’screative and problem solving ability.This study was conducted during one year, It was funded by the Swedish Government.The project itself, textile and mathematics, has been going on for five years.We have mainly worked with six year olds but this time with children eight year ofage, a group of 15 children. Data was collected by participant field observations,interviews, documents and a test. Data was analyzed in order to discern the progressof learning, with focus on mathematical problem solving, in a context of practicein textile craft and design.The results of this study show that children working in this context and who areencouraged to reflect upon their work, get an overall picture of what they are doing,that help them to better understand and remember the process of problem solving.Mathematical concepts were easily found in textile activities, especially in weavingand patch work, where mathematical problem solving is an inseparable part. Childrenhave been asked to make a model of their planned product before starting theactual working process. This stimulates them to move between an abstract level ofunderstanding to a concrete. The creative process is made visible by looking atchildren working but also in their own comments, - “The hard part was to make upone’s mind about color and pattern, once that was done, it was easy”.Both boys and girls enjoyed working with textile craft and design. This means thatboys have enlarged their area of competence into a typical female base of knowledge.The girls have, as a change to most school projects concerning “equal opportunities”where girls are encouraged to try typical male activities, been aware ofthat typical female activities also ...