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Children's Lively Minds
June 1, 2009
Don’t speak unless you can improve on the silence.
-Jorge Luis Borges, writer
-Jorge Luis Borges, writer
Thus Deb Curtis opens her provocative article, "Seeing Children's Lively Minds at Work," in the March/April 2009 issue of Exchange (now available on the Exchange home page). She continues...
"When teachers are overly concerned about teaching the alphabet and other isolated skills and facts, they may miss children’s serious approaches to tasks and voracious quests to understand the world around them. As Lilian Katz’s quote above suggests, children are more apt to be interested in intellectual pursuits than academic lessons. I think clarifying the difference between the two can help teachers see and appreciate children’s thinking, and in turn offer meaningful experiences that engage their lively minds.
"Webster’s dictionary defines academic as 'very learned but inexperienced in practical matters,' 'conforming to the tradition or rules of a school,' and 'a body of established opinion widely accepted as authoritative in a particular field.' And intellectual is defined as 'given to study, reflection, and speculation,' and 'engaged activity requiring the creative use of the intellect.' Obviously it is important for children to learn appropriate academic skills and tasks, but rather than overly focusing on these goals, I strongly claim and enjoy my responsibility to help children become engaged thinkers, excited about the wonders around them. Young children bring an eager disposition to learn all of the time, so it’s my job to find ways to really see, appreciate, and further their intellectual pursuits.
"It’s easy to dismiss children’s explorations because they move quickly, make messes, and put themselves in seemingly risky situations. I have developed the practice of waiting before jumping into a situation to determine what the thinking might be underneath a child’s behavior. I have come to see that with most everything children do they have something in mind; a purpose or question they are pursuing. When I take even their smallest actions seriously, I am astonished at children’s deep engagement with the simple wonders around them; I notice they are studying and speculating, engrossed in the moment."
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Comments (4)
Displaying All 4 CommentsCalgary, Alberta, CANADA, Canada
Oh Deb, when you said, "I have developed the practice of waiting before jumping into a situation to determine what the thinking might be underneath a child’s behavior” I couldn’t have related more as I have been trying to put those thoughts to words for some time now.
I remember the first time I "waited before jumping in", the insight gained has forever changed the way I respond to and respect children. I became hooked on the power of observation and the value of play. I think it was also that time when I realized there was something other than "academics" that children needed. I immediately changed my approach to ECE and began to focus more on social/emotional connections. I noticed a transformation in the culture of my preschool classes as I became closer to the children and they accepted me as a partner in their education and play.
I then set about to introduce the techniques of problem-solving and was astounded at the abilities of the children to engage in this practice, later becoming advocates on behalf of their own peers. As a result their social interactions became more meaningful and respectful to/of each other.
Seeing children in an intellectual light and not succumbing to the pressures of pushing academics has empowered me to advocate for the specific needs of each child’s developmental stage. Adults can easily get so caught up preparing children for kindergarten that they loose focus of what the children actually need in preschool to get them there so they have the abilities to adapt and cope. The understanding of child development is crucial to facilitating early childhood education that is developmentally appropriate. Thank you for sharing your wisdom and insight.
Deborah Evans
Madera, CA, United States
Yes, this article gives us the complete narrative of young children's foundation for the development of in-depth comprehension. The most important skill needed by third grade. We can focus on "the code" but "the code" is meaningless without comprehension.
Because comprehension is built upon the ability to abstract think. And abstract thinking is built upon symbolic representation. And, of course, as we know in early care and education, symbolic representation is built upon play. The type of play as described in this article so purposefully. I applaud.
ub child care center
buffalo, ny, United States
Children will get into acadameia soon enough. we need to let them express themselves through art, drama, reading, etc...in the early years. i know teachers have a lot of pressure to teach the abc's of it all before the children step into grade school, but they need to remember, they're here to play & learn at the same time. the years experienced in child care go by all to quickly. teachers need to relax because if they feel pressured, the children will feel the same way, then they both will feel irritable & unhappy...not good!
Videatives, Inc.
Amherst, MA, United States
I have long admired the work of Deb Curtis and Margie Carter. We share the same “Thinking Lens” as we observe children. I love the learning stories that they present and their focus on children’s wondering. I have noticed two different forms of this “Thinking Lens.” One looks for what the child is wondering about, such as the sparkle of the paper or the noise it makes, as mentioned the full article by Deb Curtis.. The other form causes us to think about the strategies the children use to accomplish a goal, such as spreading the sparking paper first vigorously and then more slowly. I have learned that when I can identify the child’s procedures for wondering that I can come closer to understanding their theories and assumptions about how the physical and social world works. If Maddie spreads the sparkling paper slowly after both seeing the sparkling and hearing the noise, might she be testing if she can make the sparkles without the noise? Might she be wondering if the noise makes the sparkle? Does she hold the theory that a slow spreading of the paper would not make a noise? While we will never know for sure, this possibility will help us wonder with the child in a manner that gives us more ideas for support and provocations. As Deb Curtis and Margie Carter have for so many years reminded us, we need to slow down and smell the daisies that line the wondering path children walk everyday.
George Forman
President, Videatives, Inc.
www.videatives.com
See What Children Know™
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