Early Childhood Learning

Time Magazine's article "How a Child's Brain Develops" a few years ago offered a wonderful and informative insight into the growing child. Yet at the same time the article produced a shocking reality check for early childhood educators.

The article focused on genetics as well as "experiences" as the major contributors to human intellect. It said the "windows of opportunity" or special times when children learn things are open in early childhood, birth to age 6, and then close. This is when emotions and memory, language and motor skills are stabilized. Some of these "windows" like the language window are believed to close by age five or six. That means the opportunity to learn easily slows dramatically.

In the classroom, it means things like foreign languages should be begun in preschool. Drama too, and music and poetry and literature should all begin in preschool -- in earnest with a focus on rhythm, mood, tone, syntax, grammar, and vocabulary. Getting children to really use language means providing "experiences" that accommodate this learning. That multi-dimentional "set of experiences" separates good programs from lesser ones.

When most adults think preschool should be a matter of socialization, the intellectual part of child care is neglected. The reality is, kids socialize just fine and without much prompting. Put two children together for five minutes, it's as if they've known each other ten years. Socialization is an adult's problem, not a child's.

The truth is, the role of a good preschool for ages 3 - 5, is combining the "windows of opportunity," and "experiences" and offering a smorgasbord of learning. All preschool activities should be play -- all day -- every day, because play is the avenue by which the young human learns. But not unfocused play, or undirected play. Play, by its very nature, is constructive, productive, and rewarding because play is fun -- and destructive, mindless, chaotic activities are not fun.

Play, in the hands of knowing adults, extends beyond play centers. Play is moved steadily into the intellectual world: through the arts, across the sciences, settling into language skills -- making a permanent home in the liberal arts a little like squatter's rights.

Once the child has squatted, and feels the territory is his, these "experiences" in the land of liberal arts are his to play with. These are the building blocks of the human intellect, of education, of understanding and wisdom, and it starts, or it should, at age three -- no excuses.

"Experiences" parents should expect in preschool are exposure to the liberal arts as integrated parts. The sciences add animal study, plant and earth science, phenomena with chemistry to illustrate the stories and biographies of history. History gives literature, drama, and the singing part of music a new dimension as do Bible stories.

Geography is a spectacular use for art because children love to make murals -- a collective project of discovering the way the earth looks: deserts, mountains, seas, rivers, plains. How does weather influence an area? The study of geography for very young children can include the placement of animals in their natural habitats, human life, and its development, and colorful comparisons between regions.

As the child's mind begins to make connections among these "experiences," his language skills increase, his desire to know and understand increases, and more importantly, his experiences broaden his mind and reduce prejudice and narrow mindedness.

Is this what you're buying? You should be. These are the most important years in your child's life. Don't wait for tomorrow to open the windows. They may be closed forever.

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