I used naeyc.org for my resource this week. I found an article from Dr. Alison Gopnik, who has been doing research on young children for 20 years. I remember Dr. Gopnik from video resources from my first few classes here at Walden. The article focuses on ways Dr. Gopnik has seen children benefit from play. She has confirmed through her research that children learn through exploring and playing. This study extremely important for young children and the people who care for them. With the state of education and the increasing academic demands on our young children, it is studies like this that will help educators fight to keep play in their classroom.
"Children are eventually going to learn to recognize letters. But learning how people work and what’s in others’ minds is a much deeper and more profound learning. Ironically, parents who think they are helping their children by exposing them to flash cards with letters on them are doing less to help their children than parents who expose their children to pretend play, read to them, and talk with them" (Gopnik, 2009). This is my favorite quote from the article and one that I feel I will referencing in my research.
http://www.naeyc.org/files/tyc/file/TYC_V3N2_Gopnik.pdf
Leigh:
ReplyDeleteDr. Elkind wrote his book, The Hurried Child, in the 1980s. It is kind of sad that we are still having to prove the benefits of play and the impact of academic pressures on children. Hopefully, research such as Dr. Gopnik's can be among the work that makes change possible.
Thank you for sharing this work. It sounds like it will be helpful in your research simulation.
LouAnn
Leigh,
ReplyDeleteDr. Gopnik's research supports the need for play as healthy and beneficial for all children. This research will be helpful to you as you conduct your research simulation.
Thank you for sharing this resource!
Teri
I would like to be part of this mass were teachers keep the most important fact that is the essence of Early Childhood!
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