Neuroscience, Early Education and Play: We are Doing it Right!
Stephen Rushton
The brain is uniquely organized and every child learns at a different place. Children need freedom in the classroom to allow for great flexibility and creativity. This is because neuro-pathways are forming and connecting in the child's brain which will support children throughout their entire lives. The use of play is a form of learning when left open ended, allows for individual differences and mastery to occur. Each experience a young child has typically involves one or more of the senses. As a child interacts with the environment when they are playing, various stimuli enter the body via the five senses. Ultimately, it is the students who guide the learning and and facilitators course-correct the way. Given that each child's brain is unique and varying levels of individuality exist, it takes a special educator to not want to force each child into a lock-step curriculum. Today´s early childhood educators need to be genuine, engaging, intentional, and aware of what is affecting their students. This is why we need to learn how the brain works and teach each child individually.
Rushton, S. (2011). Neuroscience, early childhood education and play: We are doing it right! Early Childhood Education Journal, 39(2), 89–94. https://doi-org.ezproxy.lib.uconn.edu/10.1007/s10643-011-0447-z
Very informative and I liked that the summary explains the science side of play (body and mind).
ReplyDeleteI agree that the brain is a main factor of a development of a child. Each child is different so if you teach them of the same curriculum, they won't expand their knowledge. Each child needs are different!
ReplyDeletethe development of a child's brain is important for parents to understand including development through play.
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