Developing a sound foundation in mathematics is related to a number of important quality of life indices and thus can be considered an essential 21st-century skill. We know that children’s math knowledge on entry into kindergarten predicts their growth in mathematics well into the future. But we also know that young children’s early preparation in mathematics varies widely and that under-resourced children lag behind their better-resourced peers considerably, a difference that is already detectable as early as 3 years of age. Hence, it is vitally important to provide developmentally appropriate, evidence-based, effective mathematical input in preschool, before the start of formal schooling. In partnership with the YMCA of Canada and JUMP Math, Dr. Mighton and I have been developing a preschool mathematics learning supplement that meets these criteria and that could serve as a companion to any existing preschool curriculum to help bolster preschoolers’ math knowledge and skills. Our aim is to make the supplement widely accessible to early childhood educators, to help put all children on a positive developmental trajectory in math.

Bio: Dr. Tracy Solomon is a developmental psychologist. She holds a Ph.D. in Psychology from the University of St. Andrews in the United Kingdom and did postdoctoral work at the University of Chicago and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She was a research scientist and the director of the Mathematics Education Research Lab at the Hospital for Sick Children before joining the faculty of the department of Applied Psychology and Human Development at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (OISE), at the University of Toronto. Dr. Solomon’s primary research interest is in effective mathematics education. She is particularly passionate about leveraging the most recent research in math education to help put all children on a positive trajectory in the development of their mathematical knowledge and skills.