When I was a little girl, money was tight. Not just tight – think choosing between food and electricity, tight. We learned fast where all the best food pantries were and how to buy a loaf of bread for 20 cents. When Christmas came around, my mom’s heart sank because she knew there was not […]
Time to Play: Teaching Children to Give Read More »
I love my job. I teach kindergarten at a public school. Surrounding myself with children everyday has helped prepare me for motherhood. A recent conversation made me think, “Does having a teacher mom help prepare my son for school?” The other day, while eating lunch, my colleagues and I were talking about the pros and cons of having our kids attend the same school that we work in.
The Teacher’s Kid Read More »
Alison Gopnik is a professor of psychology at Berkely in California, and she has a lot that’s important to say about learning. Last week, she wrote an insightful article for the New York Times.
What it boils down to is this: Children learn through play. No, it’s not stop-the-presses revelation, but it is important for parents, teachers and caregivers to recall. In essence, so much of our educational system is results oriented, and what Gopnik and her research show is that learning is a process. As children build mental capabilities through experimentation (aka play), they are putting in place the foundation of an ability to learn.
Learn, Baby, Learn Read More »
One observation I’ve made over years is that toy companies are adverse to making food play toys. The common consensus is that parents tend to avoid such purchases in fear of instigating a mess. But seriously, what better way to teach your child than with play?
Eating Can Be Fun Too Read More »
