Force-feeding academics gives children the impression that learning is a chore rather than something that derives naturally from curiosity and exploration.
The deciding factor between a person of high IQ floundering and one of modest IQ succeeding is "emotional intelligence." This includes self-control, zeal, persistence and the ability to motivate oneself. Emotional intelligence involves one's will and one's character. A central feature of the emotionally intelligent character is compassion for others, marked by the ability to read emotions and empathize;as well as using anger in the right amount, at the right time, for the reasons.
The truth is, the key predictors of healthy intellectual and emotional development are responsive, nurturing relationships between parent (or caregiver/teacher) and child.
Parents should become attuned to a child's natural learning patterns and abilities and find the teachable moments within each day that help a child build real knowledge, not just memorize isolated facts.
Three R's...
Reflect: is this experience/class/activity worth reducing my child unstructured playtime further, transporting to and from in the car, and paying for?
Resist: this means stopping yourself from joining the frenzy and allowing time to slow down. It means you just say "no thank you."
Re-center: reassure yourself you've made a good choice. The best way to re-center is to play with your children.
Research shows that a child intellectual awakening take place during the normal adult girl interaction that occurs every day purposeful activities. Parents easily foster self-confident learners to activities that gently challenged children to reach to the edge of their developmental level but not beyond playful environment and spontaneous learning opportunities hold the keys for a happy emotionally healthy and intelligent child--and for a fulfilled parent.
Millions of years of evolution have children who love to learn on their own county. Has insured our survival humankind has eaten from the tree of knowledge and continues to seek out this delicious fruit from the first moments of life no force-feeding is necessary unless you were living in extreme isolation poverty the natural every day environments and which families and children find themselves promote strong brain development. Children with loving parents who enjoy them and offer guidance and suggestions as they explore their alignment will be helping emotionally well-adjusted and psychologically advanced.
Neurological crowding: this is what happens when information competes for synaptic connections in the brain. "One has to consider the possibility very ambitious early enrichment and teaching programs may lead to crowding affix into an early decrease in size and number of brain regions that are largely been specified and that may be necessary for creativity the adolescent and adult." It may be no accident that Albert Einstein was a rather average student in his early years allowing his brain to avoid early crowding effects.
1. Think outside the box. Play with your child take cues from them and notice what they're interested in those opportunities from your surroundings.
2. Change your dynamics (fast versus slow, loud versus quiet, active versus restful). Whether this is for how you play or move or what types of educational shows children watch vary the pace and movement.
3. Move from memorizing to learning in context.
4. Plan a field trip--to your own backyard. Examine ordinary objects from a child's perspective.
Intelligence and achievement there is danger and confusing to the key to intelligence is how you learn how you adapt knowledge and how you process what is going on around you.
1. Work within your child's zone of development follow their interest don't give them too many steps and encourage them to set their own goal don't force your child to stick with a task she's frustrated with, rather motivate or work together. Demonstrate.
2. Stress effort not achievement.
3. Don't insist there is only one right way to do something
4. Show your kids that you make mistakes and let them correct you
5. Focus on developing your child's creativity and independent thinking.
Self-discovery--inward awareness (then paralleled social learning--outward awareness)
1. Physical self: body
2. Social and emotional self: feelings
3. Intellectual self: thoughts
The use of symbols is the main characteristic of human thought that makes us distinct from other animals.
The benefits of PLAY
1. Become an advocate for play
2. Provide the resources for stimulating play. before purchasing toys ask these three questions:
what activities will this toy inspire?
what values will the activities teach?
what social rules with my children learn to follow?
3. join in the fun
4. Let your child take the lead
5. Encourage your child to use imagination
6. Evaluate your child structured activities: can they show their creativity and express themselves? Is it child centered? Are they engage in pretend or social play? Is there a happy peaceful feeling or stress? What is the purpose of the activity is it primarily for fun and secondarily for learning?
Four principles for teaching children
1. The best learning is learning within reach. Reach to the edges of your own understanding and experience.
2. Emphasizing process over product creates a love of learning.
3. Pay attention to EQ (emotional intelligence) not just IQ. Social play fosters both simultaneously.
4. Learning in context is real learning--and play is the best teacher. Play is that arena in which you get to try out everything with no real-life consequences because it's all just pretend.
Achieving balance in schedule and activities-the new 3Rs:
1. reflect: ask why? Motive and purpose for things...
2. resist: make the choice and hold your ground
3. re-center: remember your guiding principles and values
