Should Infants Develop Through Play Or Academic Activities?

[Hypognosis]

I stumbled on this while browsing the site and found it both interesting and worrying.

https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/freedom-learn/201505/early-academic-training-produces-long-term-harm

I have concerns about the very fact that one of the long-term studies it describes (USA 1967-90) happened at all but that would send this thread off on a tangent.

Initially, I would like to know whether you agree with the basic premise of the article (ie your initial opinion) and also whether you think enough time has elapsed that our home grown, academically-crammed problem-children are making their presence felt, given that this trend only became newsworthy in the last decade or so?

[Peter Pedant]

I thought everyone realised that children developed through play

The thing about educational theories is that they are still arguing about things they were arguing about in the fifties, mixed ability classes, mixed ability teaching, single sex education, position of religion in school

You wouldhave thought they would know by now - that is have done the experiments that give us the answers - instead unsupported opinion triumphs and the arguments continue

[ the experiment should neva have happened - I will have to look that one up - sounz like Tuskegee ]

[Peter Pedant]

The article and comments are well worth a read - well by everyone !

- arguments ad himinem and opinion prevail
- educators who are paid to do the best for children seem unable to write English

(CB all over again really )

[Old_Geezer]

Interesting. Pre-school is very early.

In my experience of life it is often the case that the best results come from the correct balance of things. As such I would have liked there to have been more information on that High/Scope group, that the article seems to suggest were doing the same as the group allowed to play all day.

Also it may depend on the type of instruction. If one gets a lifelong drive to achieve (which in itself is no bad thing as long as it is balanced with an ability for social skills as well) maybe the instruction was non-ideal. Maybe it should have stimulated a desire to learn more instead.

[whiskeryron]

One thing that has always intrigued me is the fact that we are all taught by teachers who were taught by someone who was taught by someone else ad infinitum, so if there was an error of teaching somewhere down the line then it gets carried forward. How many times for instance have original theories been proven to be wrong at a later date ? I am not saying there is a better method of learning but it makes me wonder some times.

[Hypognosis]

Yes, 'instruction' might pan out to mean old-fashioned rote learning. At the age where they readily repeat new words and phrases they hear, how can anyone tell whether they are merely parroting a phrase like "two plus two equals four" or whether they are reasoning the answer out in number form and then verbalising their workings out?

I get the feeling that method would churn out people who are good at quizzes but bad at applying what they've memorised and thus not so good at solving problems because the flexible thinking that play engenders was not permitted, at that early developmental phase.

[Hypognosis]

@WhiskeyRon

Errors of fact is not what the article is about. Did you read it?

[roopower]

Haven't read the article, but having worked with young children for many years I know that children learn through play much better. While a few children are ready to start school, and now therefore formal education, many are not and school life is stressful for them and their teachers. Children can not learn formally until they are able to sit still, listen, do as they are told and 'get on' with the children round them. The old way of playgroup, nursery and then school was so much better and prepared children properly for their school days.

What we expect of our children now has frightened me for a long time - how can you expect children from families where neither parent is literate and can't see the point of it anyway, and those who read, discuss and spend time with their children to reach the same point in their education at the same time? Having seen children worried to the point of being ill over SAT exams and now hearing that early years children will also be tested, and SATs may be retaken in Y7, I think those in the Education department have gone completely mad.

Children in many countries do not start formal education until they are six or seven, and they are still higher than ours in the b***** tables, doesn't that tell these MPs anything.

We are going to have a generation of youngsters where the majority of them are burnt out before they leave school.

Sorry for the rant, but this is a real hobby horse of mine!!!!!!!

[roopower]

Have now skipped through the article, and my tablet has not gone through the window.
Just to enlarge, when I say 'learn through play' I don't mean sitting playing with Lego all day, although that has learning possibilities of it's own fine motor skills and cooperation with other children being two.
When I worked in a nursery we baked regularly one mother came in to see the teacher as she didn't want her little Jimmy cooking, she wanted him learning things! She didn't understand that baking needs weighing, pouring and social skills to start with. Water play starts children off with floating and sinking, measuring and much more but the children don't realise they are learning and more importantly, they enjoy themselves!

[Mosaic]

Comments from Roo highlight something I've observed: highly aspirant parents often confuse fact-cramming with learning and development. So they believe that if the littlun has reams of spelling to learn, or writing to practice, it must be good, and they're blind to the obvious.
Many state nursery and infant teachers are now driven to distraction by attainment targets written by people in Whitehall who have theories about education, but don't rear kids.