Math+Literacy = A Winning STEAM Combo with Dr. Kateri Thunder

Dr. Diane's Adventures in Learning

Math+Literacy = A Winning STEAM Combo
Discover how to blend math and literacy into the joy of everyday play and learning. Dr. Kateri Thunder shares her incredible strategies for sparking children's innate mathematical curiosity through storytelling, play, and intentional language.
From the pages of The Very Hungry Caterpillar to the adventures of Jabari Jumps, learn how you can turn any story time into an opportunity for young minds to explore mathematical concepts in a fun and engaging way.
Join the conversation this week with Dr. Kateri Thunder, an expert in early childhood education, as she shares her top strategies for recognizing and nurturing young children's innate mathematical thinking. Through intentional language and fun-filled activities, discover how everyday interactions like reading and playing can ignite a lifelong love for math in young learners.
Embrace the power of open-ended questions to transform your teaching practice, inspired by Eric Carle's beloved story The Very Hungry Caterpillar. We discuss how letting children's natural curiosity lead can deepen their engagement with mathematical concepts. Learn how to use concrete, representational, and abstract methods—such as cubes and number charts—to foster critical thinking and a strong mathematical identity in young learners, making every moment in the classroom a joyful journey of discovery and problem-solving.
Finally, dive into the creative integration of math and literacy using multicultural children's literature, as we discuss strategies for connecting math, literacy and STEM using books like Jabari Jumps and Jabari Tries. We also explore the profound impact of unplugged coding activities and the significance of including diverse fairy tales that reflect all children's experiences.
Empower yourself as an educator or parent with a treasure trove of innovative techniques designed to make every classroom moment a delightful journey of discovery and problem-solving for our early learners.
Don't miss out on this enlightening conversation with Dr. Kateri Thunder that promises to ignite a love for math in the hearts of children and provide fresh inspiration for educators everywhere!
Listen now and join us in transforming early childhood education, one playful moment at a time!
About Our Guest:
Kateri Thunder, Ph.D. is an educator, researcher, author, and coach who collaborates with learners and educators from school divisions around the world to translate research into practice. Kateri has served as an inclusive, early childhood educator, an Upward Bound educator, a mathematics specialist, an assistant professor of mathematics education at James Madison University, and Site Director for the Central Virginia Writing Project. Kateri researches, writes, and presents on equity and access in education and the intersection of literacy and mathematics for teaching and learning. She has partnered with thousands of educators to catalyze change in their classrooms and schools. Kateri is a best-selling author for Corwin, including Visible Learning in Early Childhood and The Early Childhood Education Playbook.

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Chapters

1. Don't Panic! Activate Your Math Brain (00:00:35)

2. What Does It Look Like To See Math+Literacy at Work in an Early Childhood Classroom Setting? (00:02:09)

3. Connecting with a Classic: Computational Thinking and The Very Hungry Caterpillar (00:07:43)

4. Math+Literacy -- How did Dr. Kateri Thunder become the math connector? (00:15:17)

5. Let’s look at the early childhood research! Where should we start if we want to learn more? (00:18:04)

6. Using Math+Literacy (and STEAM) to build critical thinkers who can collaborate and solve problems creatively (00:23:27)

7. Why should we use diverse picture books in math? (00:27:31)

8. Dr. Kateri Thunder's books and resources for educators (00:34:38)