Kids, are amazingly young age, think creatively, hypothetically and critically in play. As young as 4 years old they can do this, but by that age we‘ve got them in play free preschools, listening to lectures and writing in workbooks, then we wonder why we have 17 year olds who can only think literally.
#PeterGray #FreeToLearn #Education #play #weallneedtoplay
readinginthedark 🤔 I don't know of any play-free preschools, though. Most of them are primarily play and active environments with a few sit-down moments for eating, (now) using technology, and learning basics like letters and sounds. That's been my experience, anyway. 6y
GingerAntics @readinginthedark your kids are very lucky!!! A lot of preschools have become hyper academic. Kids rarely if ever play freely. There is no pretend play, it‘s always directed in one way or another by adults. Their time is spent listening to instruction and working in workbooks (never mind that‘s developmentally inappropriate). This is more common in low income areas, honestly, but even preschools are becoming college readiness centres in many place 6y
GingerAntics @readinginthedark this might be a better quote for explaining the book than the other. Still, a single quote doesn‘t hint at all of the amazing research that has gone into this book. The big distinction is the difference between play and free play where adults just stay out of it completely. The whole book is about the amazing capability children have to educate themselves if supplied with the tools and allowed to do their thing. 6y
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GingerAntics @readinginthedark even 20 years ago now, kids were expected to be able to “read” when they left kindergarten even when it wasn‘t required to attend kindergarten. I knew a kid who had to repeat kindergarten because she couldn‘t “read” under pressure. It was madness. This has spread and now most schools are starting to teach reading in kindergarten and even preschool. It doesn‘t actually increase literacy, but it does make kids burn out on school by 6y
GingerAntics @readinginthedark middle school. The tests and the pressure and all the homework starting so young, even though study after study proves that homework (especially when it‘s just more of what was done in class) does not help students learn more or better or whatever. Honestly, this guy explains it way better. He‘s the researcher. I totally recommend the book. He‘ll explain this so much better than I ever will. 6y
readinginthedark I agree that the pressure of literacy too much or too early can be hard. I tried to start teaching my son how to read before kindergarten 'cause I knew he'd love it, but I stopped when he resisted and just kept reading to him instead. He picked up reading in kindergarten so fast! The lack of pressure really helped, I think. 6y
readinginthedark Also, a lot of this might be the area I'm living in. There's a lot of focus on social and emotional readiness as well as mental readiness to learn and be in a certain environment, which is awesome. 6y
GingerAntics @readinginthedark I think that lack of pressure is really important. The research shows that the way we educate kids is actually really good for things kids can already do but horrible for the things they‘re learning. It‘s sad. There is just way too much pressure built into the system. 6y
GingerAntics @readinginthedark oh wow, that‘s great. Sadly, that is what should be made the standard instead of some of this madness they‘re all into. 6y
readinginthedark Definitely! 6y
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