Slate posted a good article yesterday about children, learning, and the effect of the Law in early learning environments: i.e. an Authority Figure telling you what is right and true and interesting rather than you discovering that on your own.
It’s a good piece and I really agree with everything it says. (Full disclosure: I spent much of my early and mid-20s working with children, and have been thinking about learning and school ever since I was 9 and discovered teachers were crazy.)
What I find most striking, though sadly familiar, is the timidity with which the Slate columnist approaches her piece. She thinks this really needs to said — for kids under the age of six, that is. But of course, once you hit first grade it doesn’t apply any more: that’s when lining kids up in desks and having them lectured to by “teachers” suddenly becomes the ideal way to learn. In short, a complete lack of awareness of how we are all children inside.
That said, the article is good as far as it goes. Here are a few excerpts (but read the whole thing to find out about some really fascinating experiments):
“Anxious parents instruct their children more and more, at younger and younger ages, until they’re reading books to babies in the womb.”
“Shouldn’t very young children be allowed to explore, inquire, play, and discover…?”
“Direct instruction made the children less curious and less likely to discover new information.”
“Adults often assume that most learning is the result of teaching and that exploratory, spontaneous learning is unusual. But actually, spontaneous learning is more fundamental.”
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5 responses to “Children At Play”
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Great post, Stampdawg.
An anecdote from my recent life: Kerry and I have been worried about our son because he seems bored with his schoolwork. I immediately had a notion as to what the problem is: we had him tested and he's academically gifted. So he's not feeling challenged by the schoolwork and he gets bored when the teacher has to teach something four or five times.
Then recently I discovered the Jr. Ranger program at our local National Park (I know not everyone has a "local" National Park…we are so lucky). It involved him doing a book full of learning activities and projects at the park. He LOVED it, was absolutely engaged by it, and really seemed to soak up the lessons like a sponge, because he wasn't bored.
At the end of the program, he was sworn in as a Jr Ranger and issued a badge, patch and certificate. That was a week ago, and he's still wearing the badge around.
A few days ago, I discovered another NPS program online called "web rangers". It was essentially the same type of program only online with access to far more activities. And what is amazing is that Web Rangers has replaced the Wii, replaced Nickelodeon and even the Nintendo DS. It's what he wants to do any time he's allowed free time indoors.
If only the learning process at school could be more like this…
Great article, great post. I totally agree about the author holding back. Thanks John.
I definitely see in my 4 year old much more willingness to learn indirectly, by watching others, and by asking questions. Moreover, she is MUCH more likely to tell me about what she learned at school or what happened at a birthday party when I talk about my day first. If I just ask her directly she shuts down. But when I share about my day then she wants to share too. There seems to be something about shared learning and expression that frees her up more than directed questions and instruction.
Alex
Fascinating observation, Alex.
I wonder if there is a fear of judgment — "is there gonna be a test on this?" — when we ask a child to describe what she did at school. (Did I do the right things?)
You, on the other hand, create an atmosphere free of judgment, because she already heard about your day without assessing its rightness or wrongness, so she can tell you about hers the same way.
Nice call, dad.
And Jeff, it's always so good to hear about your boy. Replaced the Wii… wow!