Blog 4

Where to start I could write pages on this week’s topics.  I will start with the hurried child article and make-believe play.  I taught pre-kindergarten from 1987-1994 and make-believe play was part of the   daily lesson plan.  We as teachers would document for parent teacher conferences the child’s creativity with other children in a social situation.  How a child related to him or herself, behaviors and controlling impulses, discipline during play, the interaction during play, problem solving,  emotions or in a nut shell self-regulation.  In my opinion imaginary play is how we learn, grow and allow ourselves to be creative. We can go where we could never go and be what we could never be in real life. Technology has taken the physical part of imaginary play away but it is here and part of another avenue for imaginary adventures.  Without imaginary play children would not get to express ideas or play out dreams that would otherwise not be explored.  

Intelligent tests (IQ test), the definition of intelligence is the ability to acquire and apply knowledge and skills.  The word intelligence by itself seems too broad.  Reading through the chapter the theories about intelligence seem to be trying to define or redefine what intelligence is.  Like everything else in life one size does not fit all.  If IQ tests are going to be the measurement, then of course we need a base line to work from.  There are so many factors that need to be taken into account heredity, the environment, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status, parenting, what is happening in life at the time the test is given and so on.  I agree with the fact that we are all individuals and differ substantially in intellectual ability so if the IQ test is the measurement then we need to have a range of test to work from.

Academic skills: Reading it is how we get through life, how we grow, and learn, how we escape with a good book.  It is tied to everything we do.  As teachers and parents we have to make sure that our children can read and write.  The basics are so important and not all children achieve them at the same time.  My daughter struggled in kindergarten with reading even though I was a teacher and worked with her constantly.  Her comprehension just took longer than others.  By the end of 4^th grade she was above average in reading, and in high school and now college, she loves to read and retains what she reads at high level.  We need to follow through with our children and help find the best learning strategies that work for them.  I do believe that as parents and teachers it is on us to make sure our children do not fall through the cracks.  What our children do with the skills they are given later in life that is up to them.  Writing and math fall into play also, and the fact that schools are now taking cursive writing out of our educational system is such a disservice.  We really need to think about the impact that these decisions are going to take in the long run.