I came across this article while doing research on how the brain learns and a light bulb went off in my head! Parents, you may change some of your methods because of this research.
It's from Science Daily 2005 and discusses the way the brain processes abstract versus concrete information. I did not know it at the time, but this has been the way I have taught my son since birth.
Since I'm not really your song and dance, nursery rhyme quoting kind of mom, I have always use language and abstract concepts to explain things. In return I have noticed that by doing things this way he seems to be able to come to logical conclusions on his own.
For example, he loves astronomy and knows about the planets revolving around the sun and what an eclipse is, etc. Now because of this knowledge when we talk about what time it is, he has decided on his own which position the earth is in when we have day or night.
He makes a diagram on the refrigerator with stickers of the planets and the sun, moving them accordingly. When asked what he is doing, he say’s "making time move".
Now I know he is bright, but he is only 3yrs old. I'd like to think that my "matter of fact " way of teaching might have helped with his advanced cognitive thinking. I must add that this has in no way diminished his imagination or ability to have fun while learning.
After all what could be more abstract than an imagination!
2 comments:
yes a bit of balance is very healthy indeed, I work in a nursery in a special needs school and importance is placed on both concrete and imaginative play/work. sounds like a future astronaut
You must love your work!
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