HOW CHILDREN LEARN

The young child’s mind is like a sponge. It literally absorbs information from the environment. The young child retains this ability to learn by absorbing until he is almost seven years old. Young children can learn to read, write and calculate in the same natural way that they learn to walk and talk. In our classroom the equipment invites him to do this at his own pace and readiness.

 

The hand is the chief teacher of the young child. He or she learns by doing. In order to learn there must be concentration, and the best way for a child to learn to concentrate is by doing something with his hands. That is why you will see so many hands-on activities in our classrooms.

 

Children also learn by imitating the adults closest to them. Just watch them playing house or school.

 

Why the Early Years Are So Important

 

From conception to age 4, the individual develops 50% of his mature intelligence; from ages to to 8 he develops another 30%.....This would suggest the very rapid growth of intelligence in the early years and the possible great influence of the early environment on this development. Since eighty percent of the child’s development takes place before he is eight years old, we cannot over emphasize the need for an environment that is loving and stimulating with consistency and order.

 

Sensitive Periods

 

We affirm from our years of experience, is the importance of the sensitive periods for early learning. There are periods of intense fascination with certain aspects of learning a particular skill such as climbing stairs. The child never seems to tire of going up and down the stairs. Others are fascinated by pouring water back and forth and seeing how the last drop falls into the container. Others will work on our pink reading boxes, doing ten in one morning. They are eager because they are doing it themselves.

 

If we force a young child to learn something that they are not developmentally ready for or interested in we may turn them away from wanting to learn it in the future. A child learns to walk before they run and it is the same with cognitive learning…one step builds on another. We can encourage but not force!

 

A child who acquires the basic skills of reading and arithmetic in this natural way has the advantage of beginning his or her education without drudgery, boredom or discouragement. The child gains an early enthusiasm for learning.

The Children's House

The Children’s House is an independent, co-educational Christian School with a Montessori approach, serving students from Preschool to Sixth Grade located in upper Pearl City.

1840 Komo Mai Drive, Pearl City, HI 96782

Phone: 808.455.4131 • FAX: 808.455.2748

business@childrenshousehawaii.org

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