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UD child development expert says faster is not better when it comes to childhood learning
The researchers—Roberta Michnick Golinkoff, University of Delaware H. Rodney Sharp Professor, and colleague Kathy Hirsh-Pasek of Temple—said that modern parents are desperately trying to prepare children that no preschool or college can refuse and no employer can let go. As a result, the manufacture of educational toys has turned into a billion dollar a year business. According to one recent survey, 65 percent of parents polled said they believe flash cards are “very effective” in helping two-year-olds develop their intellectual capacity. The irony, Golinkoff and Hirsh-Pasek said, “is that 30 years of accumulated scientific knowledge have taught us that faster is not better” and they encourage parents to put the brakes on the relentless drive to excellence. Instead of flash cards and videotapes, children need more playtime and less adult-imposed structure, according to their new book, “Einstein Never Used Flash Cards.” The book, due out this month from Rodale Publishing, “is about how children really learn, and why they should play more and memorize less,” Golinkoff said. “Play has unfortunately become a four-letter word when the truth is that play equals learning.” Golinkoff said too many well-intentioned parents have the feeling that they are obligated “to enroll their kids in adult-oriented programs, to buy the latest computer education software and to use flash cards.” In the book, that is called “the cult of achievement.” What children really need, she said, is time to play, both with their peers and with their parents. “That is when the social and emotional development happens,” Golinkoff said. “You can be brilliant but if you cannot learn how to get along with people, you won’t be successful. IQ is not the sole determinant of success in life.” American society has been devaluing play over the course of the last 40 years, she said, adding, “This is the era of the brain.” Golinkoff said some scientists, as well as the media, have left the impression that “the first three years of life are critical to brain development and that after that the door slams shut.” “That’s nonsense,” she said. “The first three years are important but we never stop learning. Researchers have now discovered that adults continue to make new brain cells.” Feeding the problem has been guilt on the part of some parents who have found themselves in an expanding work force, either by necessity or choice. “Statistics show that 63 percent of parents are now in the work force,” Golinkoff said. “If they cannot spend time with their kids, they feel they have to get the best possible care. That translates into enrollment in a preschool with a great computer science program, or some similar academic-oriented program.” Furthermore, she said, “With a shaky economy, everyone wants their kids to get into an Ivy League school, to be the person that no employer will ever turn down or let go, and they mistakenly think highly structured programs are the way to do that.” “The first three years do matter in the learning process but the exaggerated science and marketing messages have made parents and teachers feel that they have to use every moment to fill their children’s heads with facts,” Golinkoff said. “Let them learn naturally through play.” Play is important to children because it offers them an opportunity, in one small corner of their life, to have a bit of power. “You’re in charge,” Golinkoff said. “As a little kid, everything in your world is monitored and others are in control. When you play, you are in control.” Play offers great opportunities for children to work out their problems and to hone creativity. “You can try stuff out in your play fantasies. If there is a problem, you can try to work it out through play,” she said. “And, you can come up with new, crazy combinations and try them out. “The key to success in the 21st century is not to retrieve facts—we have Google for that—it is to come up with new combinations, to put things together in new ways. And that is what play is,” Golinkoff said.
“Research overwhelmingly shows that a child’s intellectual awakening takes place during the normal adult-child interactions that occur during purposeful everyday activities,” Golinkoff said. “And, that’s also when parents can make a difference in their children’s emotional lives by just talking to them about why people do the things they do.” “Parents easily foster self-confident learners through activities that gently challenge children to reach the edge of their developmental level, but not beyond,” Hirsh-Pasek said. “Playful environments and spontaneous learning opportunities hold the keys for a happy, emotionally healthy and intelligent childand for a fulfilled parent.” The book is packed with practical suggestions to give parents an advantage in helping their children learn practically. Chapter by chapter, Golinkoff and Hirsh-Pasek explore the key areas of development—math, reading, verbal communication, science, self-awareness and social skills—with an emphasis on the process of learning from a child’s perspective. For example, sections called “teachable moments” highlight how everyday experiences such as riding in the car and washing the dishes can provide kids with opportunities for learning. A section on “discovering hidden skills” encourages parents and teachers to become researchers and discover children’s amazing capabilities. Another section called “bringing lessons home” offers simple, fun and powerful ideas for creative play, including a field trip “to your own back yard” where parents and children can enjoy watching grass blow in the breeze and take note of wondrous ecosystems, such as ants at work. In addition to “Einstein Never Used Flash Cards,” Golinkoff and Hirsh-Pasek also co-wrote the well-received book “How Babies Talk.” The new book is due on bookshelves in early October. Golinkoff is a graduate of Brooklyn College, where she earned a bachelor of science degree in psychology, and Cornell University, where she earned her doctorate in developmental psychology. She directs the Infant Language Project at UD. Hirsh-Pasek earned her doctorate at the University of Pennsylvania and is director of the Temple University Infant Laboratory. Article by Neil Thomas Photos by Kathy Atkinson To learn how to subscribe to UDaily, click here. |
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