How Does That Work?

12/02/2008

The goal of early childhood education should be to activate the child’s own natural desire to learn.
Maria Montessori

In the newest book in the Exchange bookstore, From My Side: Being a Child, Sylvia Chard and Yvonne Kogan talk about children investigating and recording...

"When children notice and become interested in something, they can explore it in a variety of ways. They can push and pull, poke and tear, touch and feel textures. They may interact with a substance or material briefly, or they may persist for long periods in their investigations....

"In safe locations, children can observe closely, imitate, try out actions, and respond to reactions. With help, children can design experiments to test their ideas. They can take things apart, mix things together, and combine objects to tell a story. They can ask adults to show and tell them things and they can listen to explanations. Children seem especially interested when familiar things are explained to them in detail.... Adults can help them see beyond the surface of things.

"Children can appreciate the value of counting, measuring, dismantling, and putting things in order. They can see which things belong together and which are different in important ways. They can talk with each other about what they are observing so they have more to think about as they explore.

"The world has so much to offer when adults can help children investigate interesting things and extend their understanding."

From My Side — An Excellent Gift Idea

One late night after a long day of meetings, sessions, and receptions at NAEYC in Dallas, I told Bonnie that I had a book I thought she should see. Her response was, "Can't it wait? I just need to sleep!" But being the sensitive guy I am, I handed her the book. She reluctantly started paging through From My Side: Being a Child, and then, captivated, spent the next 20 minutes pouring over it. This book is now going to be our holiday present to many of our friends, and we think you should give it a close look as well. It tells a great story of how children learn through over 200 spectacular photos of children from around the world.

Must have problem-solver from the AAP!

Prevent, identify, and respond to childhood infectious diseases with new second edition of Managing Infectious Diseases in Child Care and Schools

For more information about Exchange's magazine, books, and other products pertaining to ECE, go to www.ccie.com.