Mathematics in preschool : How does preschool teacher work with mathematics in preschool?

The work in preschool is based on the curriculum for preschool. When revised in 2010, the goals of mathematics were strengthened so that preschools will offer more educational incentives for the children to develop mathematically and prepare for school. The study is based on curriculum theory. Previous research that is included in the study shows that preschool teachers often work with mathematics in everyday situations. It happens through communication and interaction. Mathematics is cultural and can be divided into six different universal activities. Different ways of working with math are visualized. The importance of good didactic and mathematical knowledge to support the children in their mathematical development is noted. The aim of this study is to find out how preschool teachers interpret the mathematical curriculum goals and how they work with mathematics in preschool. The survey consists of interviews with four preschool teachers, telling how they work with mathematics together with children 3-5 years old, based on mathematical goals in preschool´s curriculum. The result of the study shows that mathematics in preschool is rarely planned. The preschool teachers mostly work with mathematics by paying attention to and naming the mathematics that occur in the day-to-day activities at the preschool. Through communication and interaction, the children in preschool get many opportunities to develop mathematically. The study shows that preschool teachers work according to the curriculum, which states that care and learning should go into each other. The results of this study points in the same direction as previous research. As further research, it is proposed to investigate how preschool teachers work with mathematics together with the youngest children in order to make a comparison and also to investigate the work with mathematics together with digitalization