TY - JOUR TI - A Child as a Researcher in the World of Mathematics AU - Pawlusińska, Lidia TI - A Child as a Researcher in the World of Mathematics AB - Modern trends mathematical education of the youngest school children emphasise cognitive activity as the necessary condition for proper development of mathematical competences. In this context, learning mathematics should be understood as a formation process of the individual’s own mental structures. Teaching through exploration is a practice naturally tied to mathematical education defined in such way.The article presents the problem of organised mathematical exploration done by students in the early childhood education. It aims at giving arguments supporting the idea that despite their intellectual immaturity, children are still able to perform exploration activities, during which they show behaviours similar to those that are usually associated with professional mathematicians. The paper outlines the origins of the concept of teaching through exploration and touches on ideas of children’s mathematical exploration activity, as well as the cognitive processes in motion during learning though exploration. VL - X (2024) IS - Issue 10 PY - 2024 SN - 2450-4572 C1 - 2450-4564 SP - 295 EP - 307 DO - 10.4467/24504564PMP.24.015.19969 UR - https://ejournals.eu/en/journal/polska-mysl-pedagogiczna/article/dziecko-badaczem-w-swiecie-matematyki KW - early childhood education KW - mathematical education KW - mathematical exploration done by students