A Holistic Approach to Learning Mathematics Through the Use of Manipulatives in an Elementary Montessori Classroom

The purpose of this research was to measure the holistic betterment of students by using manipulatives for mathematic education. The methodology for this research was an action research project that took place in an elementary Montessori classroom. Data was collected from a group of students by researcher observations, interviews with students, and standardized testing. The findings revealed that while using manipulatives three main factors were discovered. The first being that scaffolding the student from concrete to abstraction is key to the success of the manipulatives. The second being that their use did reduce anxiety. And the last finding was that students did require multiple educational approaches to ensure mathematical success. It was found that manipulatives are another productive tool that educators can use with proper training to aid students as they matriculate through mathematical concepts.