Enjoyment, confidence, and broader experiences of teaching mathematics to the under-fives: accounts from students of Early Childhood Studies

Abstract

ABSTRACT This article examines Early Childhood Studies students’ enjoyment, confidence, and broader experiences of teaching mathematics to the under-fives. The underpinning, two-phase study took place in a university in England using online questionnaires and interviews, with this article focusing on the findings from the interviews. Drawing upon Bronfenbrenner's Ecological Theory (1979), this article builds on current knowledge by highlighting that students’ own broader experiences of mathematics at school and during childhood have shaped their emotional attitude to mathematics by exploring their enjoyment and confidence of teaching mathematics in comparison to other subjects. This has implications for the support and training in the teaching of mathematics of those in the early years workforce and for the course content of Early Childhood Studies degrees.