Seguin Board B (Tens Board)

10 months ago · Updated 9 months ago

The Montessori Tens Board, also known as Seguin Board B, is an essential component of the Montessori Seguin Boards material in the Montessori mathematics curriculum, designed to provide young learners with a hands-on experience in understanding numbers and their sequences.

Benefits of Montessori Seguin Board B

Montessori Principles of Seguin Board B

How to Present the Montessori Seguin Board B

Young girl working with the Montessori Seguin Board B, arranging number tiles and wooden cubes marked with tens (10, 20, 40) to learn counting by tens and number sequencing. — The Seguin Board B facilitates sequential learning, where children first master the sequence of numbers from 10 to 99. This foundational skill is crucial for further mathematical understanding.

📏 Range Age: 4 - 6 years (activity should be adjusted based on the child's age and skill level).

🧠 Prerequisites: Math Activities (Number Rods, Sandpaper Numbers, Beads), Language Activities (vocabulary building activities for numbers 1-100), Cognitive Activities (understanding of sequence and order, basic counting skills)
🛠️ Enhancement Skills: Mathematical Skills (number recognition, sequencing numbers 1-100), Cognitive Development (concentration, pattern recognition), Fine Motor Skills (placing numbers on the board accurately).

This article explores the features of the Tens Board, its role in fostering mathematical skills, and effective ways to engage children in learning at home.

Content

What is the Montessori Seguin Board B?
Benefits of The Montessori Seguin Board B
Purpose of the Montessori Seguin Board B
Direct Aim
Indirect Aim
Control of Error
Point of Interest
How to Present the Montessori Seguin Board B?
References

What is the Montessori Seguin Board B?

The Montessori Tens Board consists of two sets of boards that introduce children to the decimal system and the concept of place value.

Each board is used sequentially to help children recognize, count, and understand the numbers 10 to 99 through hands-on practice.

Benefits of The Montessori Seguin Board B

Utilizing the Montessori Tens Board in your child's education offers multiple advantages:

🔟 Understanding of Place Value: Helps children grasp the concept of tens and units, an essential foundation for all future mathematics.
🧮 Numerical Skills: Encourages the development of counting, sequencing, and recognizing numbers from 10 to 99.
🤔 Critical Thinking: Promotes logical thinking as children decide where each number tile should be placed.
👀 Visual and Tactile Learning: The physical manipulation of number tiles enhances visual and tactile learning experiences.
👧 Independence: Fosters self-correction and independence as children learn to check their work against the control of error inherent in the design.

Purpose of the Montessori Seguin Board B

The primary purpose of the Tens Board is to solidify a child's understanding of numerical order and place value, which are critical for grasping more complex mathematical concepts like addition and subtraction.

Direct Aim

The direct educational goal of the Tens Board is to help children discover that adding numerals 1 to 9 to larger numerals can create a variety of numbers, teach the relationship between units and tens, and prepare them for linear counting. This aids in recognizing and understanding the sequence of numbers from 10 to 99.

Indirect Aim

This tool indirectly prepares children for more advanced mathematical operations, such as addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division, and for engaging in complex activities like The Bank Game. It also reinforces concepts and recognition of higher numbers and the relationship between quantity and symbol, thereby building a strong numerical foundation essential for problem-solving

Control of Error

The design of the Tens Board includes an intrinsic control of error where the total number of beads used—both ten bars and unit beads—should amount to 45. This setup allows for immediate error detection, enabling children to independently identify and correct their mistakes, thus enhancing their learning experience.

Point of Interest

The interactive nature of the Tens Board, where children explore various combinations of numbers, see the ten beads on a bead bar alongside single units, and observe the relationship between the 45 layout and the ten board, keeps the learning process lively and engaging. This dynamic setup helps maintain children's interest and enthusiasm as they count beads, arrange them in sequence, and visually understand the progression from 1 to 9 in a tangible, hands-on way.

This activity provides a tactile experience, as children handle individual number tiles, placing them in the correct order. The physical manipulation of these tiles reinforces number recognition and sequence.

How to Present the Montessori Seguin Board B?

Important: Before proceeding with the following presentation, it is essential to first complete the 'Tens Board - Understanding Tens' presentation. This foundational activity is crucial for grasping the concepts that will be explored in the subsequent sections.

Materials

Two wooden frames, each printed with the numerals 10, 20, 30 up to 90. Each numeral section includes a slot at the top and bottom where a unit card can be placed to cover the "0" in each numeral, effectively altering the tens to single units. The last section of the second frame is intentionally left blank.
A set of unit cards featuring the numerals 1 through 9, designed to be affixed to the tens frames to teach number composition.
Bead bars; specifically, 45 golden ten bars that visually represent the concept of tens and aid in mathematical operations.
A container holding 45 golden unit beads, which are used for counting exercises and to illustrate the transition from units to tens.
Nine small cups or containers, useful for organizing and sorting the beads during the activity.

The following instructions are montessori presentation of Seguin Board B - Associating Quantities:

Presentation

Setup the Board: Arrange the first frame featuring numerals 10 through 50 at the upper center of the rug to clearly display sequential tens. This helps the child visually connect the numbers with their respective quantities.
Golden Bead Bars: Position the container with golden bead bars in the upper right corner of the rug, making them readily accessible for the activity. These beads visually represent tens and will be used to build numbers.
Unit Beads Preparation: Place the container with unit beads near the golden bead bars to allow for easy transitioning between selecting tens and units during the activity.
Layout of Unit Symbols: Systematically arrange the unit symbol cards from 1 through 9 parallel to the tens board. This setup aids in the child's understanding of single units as separate from tens.
Understanding the Concept of Ten: Direct the child’s attention to the numeral 10 and ask, "How many tens is this?" to initiate recognition of ten as a foundational building block in our number system.
Engagement with Ten Bars: Encourage the child to fetch "one ten bar" and align it next to the numeral 10. This physical placement reinforces the value of the ten bar corresponding to the numeral.
Introduction to Adding Units: Query the child with, "You have one ten, how many units would you like to add to it?" This opens a discussion about building numbers beyond ten, fostering early addition skills.
Exploring with Units: If the child opts for a single unit, suggest the possibility of adding more by saying, "We can add other units to this ten, would you like to add more than one?" This encourages the child to think about different numerical combinations.
Choice of Units: If the child decides on "four," validate their choice and proceed to collect the specified number of unit beads, emphasizing their active participation in building the number.
Counting Units Together: Have the child count out four unit beads into your hand, fostering counting skills and quantity recognition.
Placement of Units: Place these unit beads in a small container next to the ten bar, visually demonstrating the addition of units to the ten, and reinforce by counting aloud.
Linking Tens and Units: Clearly articulate, "one ten and four units," while pointing to the respective quantities, to help the child connect the verbal description with the visual representation.
Unit Card Inclusion: Request the "4" unit card from the child and instruct them to slide it into the slot, covering the "0" in "10" on the board, thereby transforming the numeral to "14".
Verbal Reinforcement: Emphasize the constructed number by saying, "one ten and four units" again, reinforcing the concept through repetition.
Progress to Higher Tens: Continue to the numeral "20," asking, "How many tens do we have here?" to guide the child towards recognizing two tens as "twenty."
Positioning Multiple Tens: Have the child provide two ten bars and place them appropriately, reinforcing the concept of multiple tens.
Adding Units to Multiple Tens: Challenge the child with, "How many units would you like to add to the 2 tens?" guiding them to explore more complex number formations.
Repeat and Reinforce: Continue this methodical approach for all numbers within the first frame, reinforcing each number constructed with both symbols and quantities.
Introduce Second Frame: Depending on the child’s grasp of the concept and readiness, introduce a second frame to expand the exercise, providing a broader range of numbers to work with.
Encourage Numerical Creativity: Advise against forming repetitive patterns such as 11, 22, 33, etc., and encourage the creation of varied numbers to enhance understanding of the numerical system.

Variations & Extensions

Variations

Introduce negative numbers or zero to expand understanding of the number line beyond positive tens.
Use various materials such as colorful beads or different shapes to represent the tens and units, adding a sensory dimension to the learning process.
Implement the use of digital tens boards in a tech-integrated Montessori environment to engage children who might be inclined towards interactive learning.

Extension

Extend the activity by introducing the hundreds board once the child is comfortable with tens, to gradually increase their understanding of larger numbers.
Include simple addition and subtraction activities using the tens and units to create practical applications for the concepts learned.
Introduce multiplication and division concepts using the tens as a base to deepen mathematical understanding and encourage arithmetic skills.

Recommendations

Ensure that each step is clearly demonstrated and that the child is given ample time to absorb the information through repetition and practice.
Regularly assess the child's understanding and comfort with the activity before introducing new concepts or moving to more complex numbers.
Create a supportive and encouraging learning environment that allows the child to explore numbers creatively and without pressure, fostering a positive attitude towards math.

References

Montessori Life Blog - The Official Blog of the American Montessori Society - American Montessori Society
Training Programmes - Association Montessori Internationale
Montessori, M. (1967). The Absorbent Mind. New York: Dell Publishing. pp. 130-145.
Lillard, A. S. (2005). Montessori: The Science Behind the Genius. New York: Oxford University Press. pp. 95-110.

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Hi! I'm Chris Palomino, a B.S. in Psychology, and a mother of a precious one-year-old girl. Over the past eight years, I've been guiding children, particularly those aged 3 to 6 facing developmental and learning challenges, with a special focus on autism and ADHD.

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