Clipping Board » Life Tips ─ Life is also a subject of study...
2009-01-07 Author: Carl Honore Translator: Xue Xuan
(For more content, please refer to "The Slow Education")
Not long ago, childhood seemed idyllic. Children could follow their natural inclinations at home or in daycare. My early years were spent listening to stories, dressing up in adult clothes, making messy crafts, and singing. I played with toys, built castles in sandboxes, and after quarrels with friends, we played together again. Most of the time, I could explore the world around me as I wished. My goals, if they could be called that, were not ambitious—just to start school happily and get along well with peers.
All this seems strange to the current generation. Preschool years have now become a cutthroat competition in academics. Who has time for finger painting or puppet shows when there's so much to learn about letters and numbers? Want to play in the shallow pool? Maybe after mastering the kindergarten interview questions.
The American toy chain "Gymboree" offers a twelve-week course that promises to turn two-year-olds into "global citizens" after exposure to art, dance, and music from various cultures. The "Hualan International Village Kindergarten" in Tianjin, a high-end boarding preschool, now admits three-year-olds.
The pressure to learn reading, writing, and arithmetic early has grown so intense that tutoring companies are adding preschool divisions. Cram schools in Tokyo are enrolling two-year-olds. Kumon preschools worldwide offer courses in literacy, addition, and phonics for three-year-olds, teaching them to write numbers and count to two hundred. Daycares, especially private ones, have reduced time for art, music, and drama to make room for literacy and numeracy lessons.
Once children reach school age, the first week brings endless homework. Many American kindergartens have eliminated morning and afternoon recesses to focus on literacy and math. Even nap time has become more about eating lunch, with playtime optional.
Why are children being pushed so hard so early? What are we rushing for? One reason is that we live in an impatient, hyper-competitive culture. Preschool teachers worldwide are pressured to rank children. Parents ask: Is my child in the top 5%? If not, why? What can we do to improve their scores? If a child can read "The Cat in the Hat" at four, they might read classics by ten. By thirty-five, who knows?
We might think that pushing children to learn so early is misguided: Should a three-year-old really be sitting at a desk studying? Yet, when the winds of competition blow, our judgment wavers. "Early education" sounds as unquestionable as "world peace"—who would oppose giving children a head start? But this hothouse approach is subject to diminishing returns. Sure, some children enter kindergarten reading chapter books, writing their names, and handling schedules with ease, impressing teachers and delighting parents.
But will they thrive in the long run? Does early learning yield lasting benefits? Not necessarily. Recent studies show that early academic progress doesn't guarantee future success.A study in Philadelphia, USA, found that there is no significant academic gap between children who spent their kindergarten years actively learning to read, write, and calculate, and those who spent their time in leisurely play by the time they reach seven or eight years old. The only difference is that children who are pushed to learn early like hothouse plants tend to be more prone to anxiety and lack creativity.
Although many believe that mastering letters, numbers, shapes, and colors is the best preparation for elementary school, first-grade teachers think otherwise. They believe that children who are socially well-adjusted, know how to share, have empathy, and can follow instructions are more likely to excel in reading, writing, and arithmetic.
The fact is, humans are wired for learning from birth, and learning is most effective when they are emotionally and psychologically ready. Some people develop more slowly, but most eventually reach their milestones. A child can transform from a confused learner to a good student almost overnight once they "get it."
This is something that cannot be rushed, and patience is the most precious thing in our fast-paced culture. I remember the struggles when my son was five and brought home his first reading assignment. He couldn't read words formed by letters, and the more letters there were, the harder it was for him. At the time, I thought he might have a reading disability.
But not long after, it was as if a circuit in his brain suddenly connected. He could pick up any book and read it fluently, and he became an avid reader, reluctant to put books down even at bedtime.
Experts unanimously agree that formal education is most effective when started at the age of six. By six, children are better able to understand abstract concepts, and the uneven development of the previous two to three years has generally leveled out. Learning to read, write, and calculate too early before the age of six may cause children to develop an aversion to learning, affecting their willingness to learn in the future.
A 2003 study found that Danish and Finnish schoolchildren (where elementary education starts at six or seven) have better concentration abilities than British schoolchildren (where elementary education starts at five).
What children need most before school age seems to be the freedom to explore the world around them in a safe and comfortable environment, with stories to listen to, songs to sing, and conversations and games to engage in. They need to work hard, put in effort, and give their all, but not in the way many adults imagine.
There are also some unconventional models in preschool education, with Reggio Emilia being a highly inspiring example. This small city in northern Italy began to carve out its place in the map of preschool education after the end of World War II. Post-war Reggio was in ruins, and a young teacher named Loris Malaguzzi believed that the best way to rebuild the community was to start from the beginning—by transforming kindergartens.
Malaguzzi was not a rigid teacher but a social reformer with leadership skills. Along with a group of like-minded teachers, he established kindergartens that aimed to "change childhood education," which meant stimulating children's natural curiosity and allowing them to express themselves freely.
Claudia Giudici, a teacher and spokesperson for the Reggio Emilia approach, said, "The mainstream view today is that children need adult guidance and instruction to meet the standards set by adults. We believe that adult intervention should be minimized so that children can acquire knowledge and build relationships on their own."
Reggio Emilia kindergartens do not offer reading, writing, or arithmetic classes, nor do they have a fixed curriculum. The topics children explore are driven by their own interests.If they observe birds flocking across the autumn sky, they might start a project on birds, spending two to three months identifying different species, building nests with materials they find outdoors, and learning about the phenomenon of bird migration.
Art is a natural medium—young children can use art classes to explore and understand the external world. It is not an alternative to reading, writing, and arithmetic, nor is it a stepping stone to cultivating famous painters.
Teachers in Reggio Emilia preschools do not grade or rank children; all learning is a group activity. If a child is absent, others will say how he might have reacted to the day's activities or what he might ask when he returns tomorrow. Children do not compete to see who draws the best picture or makes the most beautiful thing. They also do not rush to finish a project—the learning pace is set as they go along.
Reggio Emilia does not print teacher manuals or guidelines because the methods teachers use to guide children are constantly changing, and each child and each group of children is unique. There is a belief: teachers cannot be the dominant force in the learning process. Teachers can introduce ideas and new materials, but it is up to the children to explore and discover. Children can make mistakes, and when they start a project, they are not sure what the next step will be.
Upon completion, both teachers and students reflect on and document the learning process. Documentation can be natural—speech, drawing, sculpture, collage, music, and movement are all acceptable. Teachers can use documentation to better understand the children under their care and the learning process itself.
Children deepen their learning experiences by reviewing their discoveries and explaining them to others.
The goal of Reggio Emilia preschools is to cultivate children who can think, dream, analyze, play, infer, and interact with others. In Reggio Emilia, half of the children under six now attend Reggio-style preschools, all of which are funded by the city government.
Many parents and grandparents of Reggio students are also Reggio alumni. Newsweek once declared in the 1990s that Reggio Emilia preschools were a model for the world. This small Italian city suddenly became a pilgrimage destination for teachers, scholars, and politicians worldwide. Since 1994, over 20,000 outside observers have come here to see for themselves.
Source: http:/ / news. chinatimes. com/ 2……+98010715+0+172750+0,00. html
Excerpts from "Slow Education"
(For more content, please refer to "The Slow Education")
Not long ago, childhood seemed idyllic. Children could follow their natural inclinations at home or in daycare. My early years were spent listening to stories, dressing up in adult clothes, making messy crafts, and singing. I played with toys, built castles in sandboxes, and after quarrels with friends, we played together again. Most of the time, I could explore the world around me as I wished. My goals, if they could be called that, were not ambitious—just to start school happily and get along well with peers.
All this seems strange to the current generation. Preschool years have now become a cutthroat competition in academics. Who has time for finger painting or puppet shows when there's so much to learn about letters and numbers? Want to play in the shallow pool? Maybe after mastering the kindergarten interview questions.
The American toy chain "Gymboree" offers a twelve-week course that promises to turn two-year-olds into "global citizens" after exposure to art, dance, and music from various cultures. The "Hualan International Village Kindergarten" in Tianjin, a high-end boarding preschool, now admits three-year-olds.
The pressure to learn reading, writing, and arithmetic early has grown so intense that tutoring companies are adding preschool divisions. Cram schools in Tokyo are enrolling two-year-olds. Kumon preschools worldwide offer courses in literacy, addition, and phonics for three-year-olds, teaching them to write numbers and count to two hundred. Daycares, especially private ones, have reduced time for art, music, and drama to make room for literacy and numeracy lessons.
Once children reach school age, the first week brings endless homework. Many American kindergartens have eliminated morning and afternoon recesses to focus on literacy and math. Even nap time has become more about eating lunch, with playtime optional.
Why are children being pushed so hard so early? What are we rushing for? One reason is that we live in an impatient, hyper-competitive culture. Preschool teachers worldwide are pressured to rank children. Parents ask: Is my child in the top 5%? If not, why? What can we do to improve their scores? If a child can read "The Cat in the Hat" at four, they might read classics by ten. By thirty-five, who knows?
We might think that pushing children to learn so early is misguided: Should a three-year-old really be sitting at a desk studying? Yet, when the winds of competition blow, our judgment wavers. "Early education" sounds as unquestionable as "world peace"—who would oppose giving children a head start? But this hothouse approach is subject to diminishing returns. Sure, some children enter kindergarten reading chapter books, writing their names, and handling schedules with ease, impressing teachers and delighting parents.
But will they thrive in the long run? Does early learning yield lasting benefits? Not necessarily. Recent studies show that early academic progress doesn't guarantee future success.A study in Philadelphia, USA, found that there is no significant academic gap between children who spent their kindergarten years actively learning to read, write, and calculate, and those who spent their time in leisurely play by the time they reach seven or eight years old. The only difference is that children who are pushed to learn early like hothouse plants tend to be more prone to anxiety and lack creativity.
Although many believe that mastering letters, numbers, shapes, and colors is the best preparation for elementary school, first-grade teachers think otherwise. They believe that children who are socially well-adjusted, know how to share, have empathy, and can follow instructions are more likely to excel in reading, writing, and arithmetic.
The fact is, humans are wired for learning from birth, and learning is most effective when they are emotionally and psychologically ready. Some people develop more slowly, but most eventually reach their milestones. A child can transform from a confused learner to a good student almost overnight once they "get it."
This is something that cannot be rushed, and patience is the most precious thing in our fast-paced culture. I remember the struggles when my son was five and brought home his first reading assignment. He couldn't read words formed by letters, and the more letters there were, the harder it was for him. At the time, I thought he might have a reading disability.
But not long after, it was as if a circuit in his brain suddenly connected. He could pick up any book and read it fluently, and he became an avid reader, reluctant to put books down even at bedtime.
Experts unanimously agree that formal education is most effective when started at the age of six. By six, children are better able to understand abstract concepts, and the uneven development of the previous two to three years has generally leveled out. Learning to read, write, and calculate too early before the age of six may cause children to develop an aversion to learning, affecting their willingness to learn in the future.
A 2003 study found that Danish and Finnish schoolchildren (where elementary education starts at six or seven) have better concentration abilities than British schoolchildren (where elementary education starts at five).
What children need most before school age seems to be the freedom to explore the world around them in a safe and comfortable environment, with stories to listen to, songs to sing, and conversations and games to engage in. They need to work hard, put in effort, and give their all, but not in the way many adults imagine.
There are also some unconventional models in preschool education, with Reggio Emilia being a highly inspiring example. This small city in northern Italy began to carve out its place in the map of preschool education after the end of World War II. Post-war Reggio was in ruins, and a young teacher named Loris Malaguzzi believed that the best way to rebuild the community was to start from the beginning—by transforming kindergartens.
Malaguzzi was not a rigid teacher but a social reformer with leadership skills. Along with a group of like-minded teachers, he established kindergartens that aimed to "change childhood education," which meant stimulating children's natural curiosity and allowing them to express themselves freely.
Claudia Giudici, a teacher and spokesperson for the Reggio Emilia approach, said, "The mainstream view today is that children need adult guidance and instruction to meet the standards set by adults. We believe that adult intervention should be minimized so that children can acquire knowledge and build relationships on their own."
Reggio Emilia kindergartens do not offer reading, writing, or arithmetic classes, nor do they have a fixed curriculum. The topics children explore are driven by their own interests.If they observe birds flocking across the autumn sky, they might start a project on birds, spending two to three months identifying different species, building nests with materials they find outdoors, and learning about the phenomenon of bird migration.
Art is a natural medium—young children can use art classes to explore and understand the external world. It is not an alternative to reading, writing, and arithmetic, nor is it a stepping stone to cultivating famous painters.
Teachers in Reggio Emilia preschools do not grade or rank children; all learning is a group activity. If a child is absent, others will say how he might have reacted to the day's activities or what he might ask when he returns tomorrow. Children do not compete to see who draws the best picture or makes the most beautiful thing. They also do not rush to finish a project—the learning pace is set as they go along.
Reggio Emilia does not print teacher manuals or guidelines because the methods teachers use to guide children are constantly changing, and each child and each group of children is unique. There is a belief: teachers cannot be the dominant force in the learning process. Teachers can introduce ideas and new materials, but it is up to the children to explore and discover. Children can make mistakes, and when they start a project, they are not sure what the next step will be.
Upon completion, both teachers and students reflect on and document the learning process. Documentation can be natural—speech, drawing, sculpture, collage, music, and movement are all acceptable. Teachers can use documentation to better understand the children under their care and the learning process itself.
Children deepen their learning experiences by reviewing their discoveries and explaining them to others.
The goal of Reggio Emilia preschools is to cultivate children who can think, dream, analyze, play, infer, and interact with others. In Reggio Emilia, half of the children under six now attend Reggio-style preschools, all of which are funded by the city government.
Many parents and grandparents of Reggio students are also Reggio alumni. Newsweek once declared in the 1990s that Reggio Emilia preschools were a model for the world. This small Italian city suddenly became a pilgrimage destination for teachers, scholars, and politicians worldwide. Since 1994, over 20,000 outside observers have come here to see for themselves.
Source: http:/ / news. chinatimes. com/ 2……+98010715+0+172750+0,00. html