Comments on: “Squashing all the actual learning and delight” http://multiculturaltoybox.com/squashing-all-the-actual-learning-and-delight/ Fri, 25 Mar 2011 18:41:44 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Ubiquitous Pidgeon http://multiculturaltoybox.com/squashing-all-the-actual-learning-and-delight/comment-page-1/#comment-890 Ubiquitous Pidgeon Sat, 14 Jun 2008 21:09:35 +0000 http://multiculturaltoybox.com/?p=53#comment-890 Spending the year teaching kindergarten really reinforced my belief that the things we recognize as important for reaching children (especially small children) are actually important for everyone. Sometimes I get so frustrated by the fact that once kids hit about 3rd grade, most of the hands-on, exploratory, or open-ended stuff has gone by the board. (After NCLB, that problem sets in around, well, Kindergarten.) Not only is this devastating to the way we "do education" as a society, but it's not even good for adults. We all need multi-sensory, open-ended exploration and a variety of opportunities and methods to connect to material. As a KG teacher I don't even consider a strait lecture-style presentation (even a short one), and it's essential that every day include singing, movement, manipulation of materials, creative play, quiet time, cooperative learning, self-directed inquiry, and outdoor activity. The more of those I can pack into any single activity or project, the better. The problem, of course, is that the same things that Kindergarteners require are also necessary for everyone else. Or as I put it recently to a colleague: just because older kids and adults can sit still and (pretend to) listen for a long time doesn't mean we should. Spending the year teaching kindergarten really reinforced my belief that the things we recognize as important for reaching children (especially small children) are actually important for everyone. Sometimes I get so frustrated by the fact that once kids hit about 3rd grade, most of the hands-on, exploratory, or open-ended stuff has gone by the board. (After NCLB, that problem sets in around, well, Kindergarten.) Not only is this devastating to the way we “do education” as a society, but it’s not even good for adults. We all need multi-sensory, open-ended exploration and a variety of opportunities and methods to connect to material.

As a KG teacher I don’t even consider a strait lecture-style presentation (even a short one), and it’s essential that every day include singing, movement, manipulation of materials, creative play, quiet time, cooperative learning, self-directed inquiry, and outdoor activity. The more of those I can pack into any single activity or project, the better.

The problem, of course, is that the same things that Kindergarteners require are also necessary for everyone else. Or as I put it recently to a colleague: just because older kids and adults can sit still and (pretend to) listen for a long time doesn’t mean we should.

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