Mike
http://somethingaboutparenting.typepad.com/

How has your little one responded to the use of learning ground?

Thanks for this thoughtful post.

Hi New Parent, I personally believe that a child doesn’t ‘play’ but play in itself has its meaning. If we see it as a by-product of learning, then I personally feel that perhaps we might see less children who dread learning. I’m not totally sure yet while trying out the idea with my daughter. All I know is that when I was teaching in school, I don’t make learning a dread but instead, let the children undertsand that learning is as much fun as playing, if not more, because it is meaningful. So far, it has always been well-received and I have seen a complete change of attitudes in some children. Those who cannot ‘learn at all before’ could start to read and write and most importantly, they internalise the learning.

As for the Angel, we first started using ‘learn ground’ due to the discussion we had from the book. Perhaps it was contextualised but she saw the connection between the book and the learn ground. She uses the words ‘playground’ and learn ground inter-changeably. Whenever we go to the learn ground now, we’d sometimes talk about what we have learnt. Sometimes, we learn how to go on a challenging slide, sometimes we learn how to take turns, sometimes we learn how to share our food with children, etc. Essentially, what I teach her is that there is always something new to learn at the learn ground. Just yesterday, we were talking about the play group that we thought of visiting and then I said, “Hey, why not change play group to learn group?” And she went, “Yeah! Learn group!” I’m thinking now along the line of teaching her to differentiate learning - learning what is worth learning and what is not.

Thanks for the question. Keep them coming!

A brilliant terminology!

As we are on the subject of learning and introducing fun to the process instead of a dread, I’d like to share on a friend’s experience, and possibly bring it up for discussion.

Nick has a five year old - Mark. Nick and his partner have never once scolded or hit Mark. Their method of teaching and discipline is via a point system. Mark earns points for things done well, good behavior, etc. And points are deducted when he misbehaves, etc. At the end of each day, he is rewarded in some way.

This has proved to be a very motivating way for Mark to be consistent with his good behavior and obedience. Also, because of the point system, everything seems to be like a game. As such, again it becomes fun and more motivating.

However, my thoughts are that Mark risk growing up to be too much of a competitor. And if lessons are taught through earning points, could there be a possibility that the value of a lesson has been undervalued? Or maybe even becoming a commodity instead of a value? I personally feel learning through games and play is fantastic for little ones. Fun and joy is and should be the first emotions that they relate to. Shouldn’t there be a line (even if it is dotted) between the fun of learning and the value of the lesson?

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With regards to AM’s statement: “differentiate learning - learning what is worth learning and what is not.”

I suppose one could start by introducing the consequences of bad attitudes or behavior, leading on to a leasson of learning ‘what not to do’. Example, if I do not take turns to use the slide and wait for the friend before me to finish, two things will happen.

1) I will crash into my friend at when sliding down. This causes pain.

2) A chaos will erupt and I will be spending more time fighting to use the slide than actually using the slide.

One way of differentiating learning through types of lessons learnt. Another way is the way lessons are learnt, pointing back to the story of Nick and Mark.

I am interested to know your thoughts and that of other parents too.