The Honeycomb Hypothesis

04/25/2022

A day without a friend is like a pot without a single drop of honey left inside.
Winnie The Pooh

By referencing the behavior of honeybees, Sandra Duncan, author of the upcoming book Honeycomb Hypothesis, offers memorable metaphors to richly illustrate how infants and toddlers learn through movement and open-ended exploration, especially in and with nature. In an article of the same name as the book, Duncan explains why “problematic pedagogy” which includes an overemphasis on direct instruction of specific facts or skills can lead teachers astray in planning lessons. “The reality is teachers really do not know what is happening inside children’s brains because we cannot see the schemas forming or taking place. We can only observe their visible actions, or patterns of play.”

Duncan continues, “There needs to be a shift in pedagogical paradigms from focusing on the acquisition of knowledge of basic facts such as shapes, colors, and alphabet, to a pedagogical emphasis on offering children opportunities for developing meaningful understandings.”

Learn more about the Honeycomb Hypothesis in a May 4 Early Childhood Investigations webinar, and sign up to be notified when Duncan’s latest book becomes available. Can't wait? Check out Duncan's earlier book, Bringing the Outside In.

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