Math, manipulatives, and getting away from worksheets

Math is a challenge for many students. It was never my favorite subject either. I believe that teachers should be doing what they can to get their students engaged in every subject, but math can be a bit tricky. Worksheets get boring fast, but working with manipulatives can be different, engaging, and can even make math easier to understand. In my practicum classroom, the teacher has just recently started using Cuisenaire rods in math class. Cuisenaire rods are rods of all different lengths and colors from 1-10. They can help students better understand addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, fractions, finding divisors, and much more. I think manipulatives are important because they help children better visualize what they are learning, children can play around and find answers in a different way, and it gives students change in pace in their work. My SA told me that she will be working with them for most of the year and that I am encouraged to use them during my practicum time. I will be looking more in to how I can incorporate the use of Cuisenaire rods into my lessons.